Georgia ministries act against sexual harassment
Government officials hope to launch online course to prevent sexual harassment in civil service workplaces by end of 2016.Date:
Representatives from Georgia’s almost all line met with UN Women to review the draft of an interactive online course on sexual harassment for civil service employees that, it is hoped, will in the future become mandatory for all public servants.
The course focuses on building awareness, advocacy, prevention and creating empathy with victims. It aims to break the silence surrounding sexual harassment in the workplace and make it easier for victims to file complaints and access support.
Sexual harassment is a human rights violation that remains a taboo subject that largely goes unreported in Georgia. Though violence against women and girls in Georgia is a recognized public concern, confusion exists at to what actually constitutes sexual harassment.
A recent study by the Centre for Social Sciences, for example, found although that 96 per cent of respondents first said they’d never experienced sexual harassment; when replying to more detailed questions, 38 per cent of women and 8 per cent of men said they’d been victims of sexual harassment at work at least once.
Once the online training is ready towards the end of 2016, it will be launched in the four pilot ministries of Defence, Internal Affairs, Corrections and Internally Displace Persons.
UN Women works jointly with government and non-state partners to end violence against women in Georgia. It provides technical support to the Government to improve national policies and legislation in compliance with Georgia’s international commitments and obligations.
To read more, see our UN Women Georgia web feature on this story.