THE Women and Gender Equality Commission (W&GEC) said it noted with concern the allegations of sexual harassment by officials of the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, (GGMC).

The allegations were made public through letters by the victims and this signals a red letter day for women who have endured abuse but stayed quiet because of the dire consequences, the commission said in a statement. It commended the women for their courage in coming forward to report these acts of sexual harassment.

The Commission said cognizant of the problems of sexual harassment, it had initiated a number of activities that were intended to encourage victims to come forward and report these cases.
Unfortunately, the commission notes that victims were afraid to come forward and even when they were bold enough to start the process they chose to walk away rather than pursue it to the end.

The body said recent initiatives such as the Me Too movement (or “#MeToo”) which is an international movement against sexual harassment and assault that was launched in October 2017 created a fillip for those who were victims and who felt that they had to endure this harassment.

“The fact that dozens of women have come forward and are speaking out against powerful men signals a new paradigm in dealing with this demeaning phenomenon,” W&GEC said.
The W&GEC said in keeping with its mandate to recommend and promote the implementation of legislation and the formulation of policies to enhance and protect the status of women it has completed a review of the Gender Legislations which recommends that Guyana needs to put in place a Sexual Harassment Legislation.

“While we note the Discrimination Act of 1997 has sections dealing with Sexual Harassment we feel that there needs to be a stand-alone legislation. This is one of the many proposals which we are recommending to Parliament for implementation.”

In fulfilling its constitutional mandate to promote women’s concerns in the wider spectrum of economic and social development and to address the needs of women as being different from those of men; the Commission said it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Guyana to support the institutionalisation of a Sexual Harassment Policy.

“We have also collaborated with the Social Sector Committee of the Parliament of Guyana to promote training and awareness among legislators in order to signal at the highest level that sexual harassment will not be condoned.”
The Commission said on the occasion of International Women’s Day it initiated a campaign in 2015 where posters were printed and distributed to places of work and schools in an effort to remind the public about this violation.

“We also established suggestion boxes at prominent sites such as University of Guyana, Turkeyen and Tain campuses, the Guyana Post Office Corporation, the National Library, the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation and outside of the Women and Gender Equality Commission, Peter Rose and Anira streets as well as in all the Regions of Guyana. We see these two letters as being the catalyst for more victims to come forward and expose the harassment which we know is taking place.

“The women of Guyana, like the women in other parts of the world, are no longer prepared to accept these violations sitting down. Let us all take a stand against sexual harassment and no one should be afraid to speak up against this abuse,” the commission added.