Monrovia- The National Health Workers Union of Liberia (NAHWUL) and the Civil Servant Associations of Liberia (CSAL) through a joint statement, have called on the Ministry of Labor and the Civil Service Agency of Liberia to take concrete actions on cases of gender and sexual harassments at workplaces.
NAHWUL and the CSAL, in their joint petition said most of their colleagues have either left their jobs quietly or just do not have any pleasure to go to work simply because of the harassments they suffer in the world of work and that must stop.
The groups, on Friday at the Ministerial complex in Congo Town, presented their plights to the two institutions; flagging out issues of sexual harassments at job sites that have led to several of their colleagues being insecure and losing their jobs.
“We would like to begin by saying enough is enough. We are here today to let you know of the agony of gender and sexual harassments we are suffering from daily in the world of work that can no longer be swept under the carpet,” the groups said in a statement read by one of their members, Sarah Bovah.
In the statement, the group said the issue of sexual harassment at workplaces have caused fear and insecurity for women and girls in the working environment.
“Most our colleagues have either left their jobs quietly or just do not have any pleasure to go to work simply because of the harassment suffered in the world of work and that must stop. This situation is so frustrating to the point that there are no clear roadmap on how to get a redress even if one is brave to take up the challenge to report this madness, especially from our line managers on the work floor.”
They call for perpetrators of gender and sexual harassment to not only be reported but perpetrators should ne name and shamed and punished in line with the law.
“We do not only want gender and sexual harassment to be reported but also investigated fully and the perpetrators be named and shamed. It is now time to stop shielding those in these hobbits. It is rather these persistent and constant harassment that can lead to violence. Now therefore, we call on the heads of ministries and agencies (The Ministry of Labor and the Civil Service Agency, in particular) to take immediate and concrete actions, that is timey investigate, punish perpetrators and protect victims on cases of Gender and Sexual harassments in the world of work.”
“We also asking you, the members of the fourth estate, to propagate the danger of this harassments as the people being harassed could be your dear friends, daughters, wives, aunties or your mothers.”
Receiving the petition, the Principal Administrative Officer of the Civil Service Agency of Liberia, Alfred Brosaye and the Assistant Minister for Manpower at the Ministry of Labor, Ruth Baryorgar promised to present the unions’ request to their respective bosses.
Mr. Brosaye commended the group for raising issues that affect the wellbeing of civil servants at workplaces.
He also assured the Liberia Civil Service Agency’s full support in the process of mitigating cases of gender violence and all forms of sexual harassments at job environment.
For her part, Madam Baryorgar pledged her support to the group and assured redress and promised to extend their statement to the Labor Minister.