Chronicle Editor
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Chronicle Reporter
HUMAN rights activists have lauded the Zimbabwe Public Service Sexual Harassment Policy crafted by Government saying it will serve as a guideline for dealing with cases of sexual harassment in workplaces which go unreported.
Government has approved the policy as part of measures to improve ambience at work stations and tackle sexual harassment in the workplace. The policy is in compliance with the Constitution of Zimbabwe, the Public Service Act, the Sexual Offences Act, the Public Service Regulations 2000 and Circulars and Procedures.
The policy is underpinned by the following principles: to combat sexual harassment, to combat sexual harassment in the public service, to provide a safe working environment that is free from sexual harassment to support diversity and inclusive work practices, to promote respect among all people in the workplace and to encourage fair and equitable treatment of all people in the workplace.
Other principles include putting in place mechanisms for redress in cases of sexual harassment in the public service and to inform all members that if allegations of sexual harassment are levelled and substantiated against them, they are liable for such actions.
The elimination of gender-based violence and harassment in the workplace is central to the attainment of the targets of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)5 on gender equality through elimination of barriers that hinder the full participation, empowerment and progress of public servants in the workplace.
Going forward all quasi-public sector entities will be directed to develop sexual harassment policies in line with the Zimbabwe Public Sexual Harassment Policy, while issues of sexual harassment will be incorporated into the Public Service Act, the Health Service Act, and the relevant Statutory Instruments.
The Labour Act (28:01) Section 8 (h) identifies sexual harassment as unwelcome sexually determined behaviour towards any employee, whether verbal or otherwise, such as making physical contact or advances, sexually coloured remarks or displaying pornographic materials in the workplace. Victims of this type of harassment are predominantly women and they are usually asked for sexual favours by their superiors in exchange for promotions or job opportunities.
Matabeleland Institute for Human Rights (MIHR), co-ordinator Mr Khumbulani Maphosa said there are cases where people in the public service are being harassed by colleagues and they need protection. He said in other cases there is need to protect the public from being harassed by public service members and also need to protect public service workers from being sexually harassed by the public.
“It’s commendable for Government to come up with this policy because sexual harassment is a huge problem in the workplace. When we protect people against sexual harassment then it means we are promoting a gender sensitive public service where the public servants and the public are protected. Without this policy it means people are vulnerable. Jobs are hard to find and some services are hard to get and some people tend to take advantage of this,” he said.
Mr Maphosa said there was now need for Government to allocate resources towards implementing the policy. He said Government has to raise awareness on the policy so that everyone is aware of it and it is utilised. Mr Maphosa said this will go a long way in ensuring human rights and gender sensitive development.
Padare/Enkundleni Men’s Forum gender office programmes officer, Mr Ziphongezipho Ndebele said the policy was long overdue as there was urgent need to address sexual harassment in workplaces.
He said while survivors wanted to report sexual harassment they did not have a law to back them or spell out how these matters had to be handled.
“When sexual harassment happens it’s difficult to protect the survivors when there is no policy and perpetrators were taking advantage of this. The policy will now provide clear guidelines on where survivors can report such cases and what action can be taken by the relevant authorities. Without a policy there was no clear indication on how these cases can be handled. In some cases perpetrators were being reported but in their defence they would say they were not aware that their actions were an act of sexual harassment. The policy will guard against such incidences as it will clearly spell out what constitutes sexual harassment,” he said.
Mr Ndebele said while most victims of sexual harassment at workplaces were women, men were also victims but they do not come out in the open due to cultural beliefs. He said men do not report sexual abuse in order to maintain status in society and to re-affirm their masculinity.
In an interview Gwanda One Stop Centre administrator, Ms Amanda Ndebele said the centre had not handled cases of sexual harassment at the workplace but that did not mean such cases were not being recorded.
She said some people were not reporting sexual harassment out of fear of losing their jobs.
Ms Ndebele said some forms of sexual harassment were verbal while others did not leave behind evidence such as fondling and these were hard to prove. She said some survivors then choose to remain quiet due to lack of evidence.
The One Stop Centre is a facility that provides medical, legal and psycho social support to survivors of gender based violence. – @DubeMatutu.
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