Zodiak Broadcasting Corporation (ZBS) Limited has launched a Sexual Harassment Policy at workplace to guide on how to prevent and deal with sexual harassment.
Speaking during the launch of the policy on Friday at Sigelege Beach Resort in Salima, Speaker of the National Assembly, Catherine Gotani Hara, described the policy as an important document to provide a safer working environment and safeguard human rights.
“The policy is not only timely but a ray of hope in as far as the fight against sexual harassment in the work place is concerned,” she said.
Sexual harassment remains a perennial issue for women and some in paid work adding the not only women are affected by the vice but are the ones that are more likely to be victims of sexual harassment because of lack of power than their men counterparts, vulnerable and insecure positions of power and influence.
Gotani Hara said, as a woman, she knows how dehumanizing and traumatizing sexual harassment can be, as it leads to absenteeism, poor morale, loss of focus and legal consequences.
The launch of the policy will help in spreading awareness around the different forms of sexual harassment that men and women continue to suffer at their different place of work.
ZBS Board Chairperson, Beatrice Msindira, said the policy provides reporting guidelines and handling of reported cases to protect the rights of workers as well as the image of the company and creating awareness.
“The key area that have been highlighted in the policy is bringing awareness about sexual harassment among workers,” she said.
Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) Executive Secretary, Habiba Osman, commended the institution for coming up with the policy.
“We are mandated to enforce the Gender Equality Act therefore we will visit every public institutions to see if they have sexual harassment policy,” she said.
Osman added that from September, the Commission will start monitoring compliance on sexual harassment workplace policy.
Earlier, ZBS staff were oriented by Women in News-Africa Region (WIN) Deputy Executive Director, Jane Godia on sexual harassment at the work place.
According to her, it is reported that 41 per cent of media women in Malawi have faced physical or verbal harassment at the workplace.
