The National Health Workers Union of Liberia (NAHWUL) in collaboration with the Civil Servant Association of Liberia (CSAL) has petitioned the Liberian government to take immediate action against the continuous gender and sexual harassment being carried out at various work places in the public sector.
Both groups in a petition statement read over the weekend by one of its Members from NAHWUL, Sarah H. S. Borvah, stressed, “We the above institutions call on the government through the heads of the Ministry of Labor (MoL) and the Civil Servant Agency (CSA) to take immediate and concrete actions against perpetrators of gender and sexual harassment in the world of work.”
The groups paraded in commemoration of the 16-day of Activism from the SKD Boulevard to the Ministerial Complex in Congo Town where their petition was delivered for the timely investigation, and imprisonment of perpetrators including the protection of victims of Gender and Sexual harassment as some of the immediate actions needed to be taken by government to remedy the situation.
The group in their petition statement explained that many of their colleagues have either left their jobs quietly or just do not have any pleasure to go to work simply because of the agony of Gender and sexual harassment suffered in the world of work which they stated that can no longer be swept under the carpet, and stressed, “this must stop now.”
According to them, the situation is so frustrating to the point that there is no clear roadmap on how to get a redress even if one is brave to take up the challenge to report what they termed as ‘madness’, especially from line managers on the work floor.
The group’s petition added, “We do not only want Gender and Sexual Harassment to be reported but also investigated fully and that the perpetrators be named, shamed and prosecuted.”
The petitioners further indicated that it is now time for the Liberian government through the Ministry of Justice and LNP to stop shielding those found allegedly found in the habit of gender and sexual harassment, averring, “Because it is rather these persistent and constant harassments that can lead to violence.”
Meanwhile, receiving the petition, the Ministry of Labor (MoL) Assistant Minister for Manpower, Ruth Bayogar and the Civil Servant Agency (CSA) Principal Administrative Officer, Alfred Drosaye both lauded the petitioners for the step taken in ensuring that the issues of Gender and Sexual harassment are eradicated within work space.
According to them, the step taken by the NAHWUL and CSAL is in the right direction especially so where there have been series of complaints about saids act across all government’s lines, ministries and agency.
Both government institutions then promised their fullest support towards NAHWUL and CSAL and ensured that they remain constructively engaged with other authorities to address said menace.