A unit that will investigate sexual harassment complaints is being established, says Jamaica’s Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia Grange, with recruitment, already started and some officers expected to be on board from July 1.
Additionally, she said a consultant has been engaged to assist with the setting up of the Sexual Harassment Tribunal which will make decisions based on the evidence compiled by the Sexual Harassment Unit and related matters.
Contributing to the 2022/23 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, Minister Grange explained that the tribunal will hear and make determinations on complaints of sexual harassment at the workplace and other institutions and adjudicate on complaints by a worker of an employer’s failure to act on such complaints.
“We have already started to receive complaints and we have been helping companies to put the necessary mechanisms in place to respond to them,” the Minister told the House.
Grange informed that, so far, the Bureau of Gender Affairs has assisted 200 organizations to draft their sexual harassment workplace policies.
She said sensitization and awareness-raising sessions with public and private-sector organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), educational institutions, and other groups have also been conducted.
“This is not a simple matter. It is a serious crime. Unwanted sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and crude sexual behaviors affect the quality of life by creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment. No one should endure that,” she emphasized.
Grange said the Ministry has been doing the work towards the full implementation of the legislation.
The landmark Sexual Harassment (Protection and Prevention) Act, 2021 aims at tackling sexual harassment in Jamaica.
The legislation addresses concerns about sexual harassment that are employment-related, occurring in institutions or arising in the landlord and tenant relationship.
It contains provisions for dealing with sexual harassment in the workplace, schools, correctional institutions, places of safety, nursing homes, and medical and psychiatric facilities, among other places.
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