Chronicle Editor
Mkhululi Ncube , Chronicle Reporter
COMPANIES have been challenged to adopt gender policies to help address sexual harassment challenges emanating from workplaces in line with the National Gender Policy.
Emthonjeni Women’s Forum monitoring and evaluation officer Miss Shirley Mabutho made the call during a seminar the organisation hosted to train workers’ committee representatives from companies in Bulawayo.
The country launched the National Gender Policy Implementation Strategy and Action Plan to increase stakeholders’ commitment to achieving gender equality and women empowerment.
Sustainable development, according to the policy, must be inclusive and people-centred, benefiting and involving all people and vulnerable groups.
The seminar was meant to equip the workers’ representatives to push their companies to adopt the gender policy.
In an interview after the event on Monday, Miss Mabutho said: “We are gathered here to help you on gender policy formulation as representatives of different workers’ unions in Bulawayo. Of concern is that, out about 20 affiliates gathered here only three companies have gender policies in their workplaces
which shows that there is still a gap to be addressed. This also shows that gender policies are not a priority for many companies. The workers’ representatives mainly focus on pushing for salary issues and nothing is done on gender equality. You find that even though we have female representatives in worker’s committees, the majority are not pushing for gender issues despite being victims as they fear victimisation.”
She said gender inequalities at home are transferred to workplaces by men who have high positions, using them to violate women.
Miss Mabutho said most women do not report such abuses but choose to suffer in silence sometimes, until it is too late.
“It is important to address gender inequalities at the workplaces so that women can have decent places to work in and provide for their families. Some men are also victims of sexual harassment at work but
they suffer in silence because they fear what people will say when they report such issues. We must normalise talking about this so that men also come out and speak about these issues,” she said.
Miss Mabutho said it was crucial for companies to set aside funds to cover gender issues at the workplace as that was not happening.
She said worker’s committees are flooded with workers’ welfare issues which may require that organisations form independent committees within companies to work on addressing gender issues to priorities sexual harassment and other gender issues. – @themkhust
Online Reporter