By Justina Auta
A Non-governmental organization (NGO), HEIR Women Hub, on Monday, called for the implementation of existing policies and laws to address the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace.
Ms Anuli Ola-Olaniyi, the organisation’s Executive Director made the call during a virtual validation meeting on “What Do Men Know: A Survey on Workplace Sexual Harassment” report to assess the visibility of the menace from the man lens.
Ola-Olaniyi said the report respondents consistof 200 males, with 25 per cent People With Disabilities (PWD’s) between 18 and 35 years, selected from the public, private and informal sectors.
She added that the online survey respondents were residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lagos, Kogi, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Bornu, Benue, Plateau Osun, Ebonyi, Delta, Imo, Kano, Gombe and the United Kingdom.
While expressing concern over what she termed “the unending rate of sexual harassment at the workplace,” she revealed that 79.5 percent of men were unaware of any law that prohibits the act, as against 20.5 per cent who know about the law.
According to her, the figures indicate inadequate awareness of existing laws against sexual harassment at workplace due to the lack of reporting mechanisms by organisations.
The director also said that 99 percent of the respondents affirmed that young women are more sexually harassed than men at workplaces, indicating the knowledge gap in that area.
She therefore, stressed the need for sensitisation on workplace sexual harassment, particularly regarding inappropriate comments with sexual undertone, among others.
She added that “there is a need for consultation with organisations to ensure that mechanisms for reporting workplace sexual harassment are set up to promote the culture of speaking out against perpetrators of the act.
“Strict disciplinary measures should be designed to deter perpetrators from engaging in workplace sexual harassment, irrespective of gender.
“Workplace sexual harassment has continued to occur due to the level of ignorance traced majorly to the culture of silence.
“This prevent survivors from speaking out against the menace, as well as the lack of policy, reporting mechanisms and disciplinary actions by organisations.“It is therefore important that workplace be made conducive to ensure that young women thrive professionally,”
Ola-Olaniyi also called for full implementation of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act, the
International Labour Organisation Convention 190 and other laws that protect the rights of all individuals.
