Dr. Georgette Barnes Sakyi-Addo, the President of Women in Mining (WIM) Ghana, emphasized the importance of women in the industry being well-versed in the various types of workplace harassment.
She highlighted that this knowledge would empower them to influence decision-making processes within their workplaces.
Her aim was to foster the development of comprehensive corporate policies, particularly those addressing sexual harassment. Such policies would contribute to the creation of an environment conducive for both men and women to work harmoniously.
Dr. Sakyi-Addo made these remarks during a workshop on workplace harassment held in Accra last Thursday. The training targeted women and key figures within the mining sector, drawing approximately 90 participants who attended both in-person and virtually.
Attendees were educated on methods to identify instances of sexual harassment in workplaces, the legal frameworks governing such matters, and were presented with case studies illustrating various forms of workplace harassment.
The event was organized by WIM Ghana, a prominent network dedicated to advancing women in the natural resources field, with the backing of the Ford Foundation.
Dr. Sakyi-Addo recognized that while certain major mining companies maintained a strict zero-tolerance stance against workplace harassment, WIM needed to raise awareness about the issue and its impact on productivity.
She stressed the significance of addressing harassment, including sexual harassment, and urged industry players to take complaints seriously.
Dr. Sakyi-Addo highlighted that women’s representation in the mining industry remained disproportionately low, with a ratio of one woman to every nine men.
Consequently, increasing female participation was seen as a means to elevate skills and encourage involvement in decision-making processes that would be equitable for all genders.
Regarding the mining sector, Dr. Sakyi-Addo discussed factors such as limited female representation, low-ranking positions for women, biological differences, workplace configurations, and historical and socio-cultural dynamics.
She noted that these factors placed women in potentially vulnerable situations across both formal and informal work settings.
To mitigate these challenges, she emphasized the importance of equipping individuals with knowledge and skills to proactively address and manage such issues.
Additionally, two gender-focused consultants, Dr. Angela Dwamena-Aboagye and Naana Frimpong, advocated for organizations to establish comprehensive and inclusive workplace policies that address all forms of harassment.
They highlighted various forms of harassment prevalent in some organizations, including bullying, intimidation, sexual harassment from both genders, discrimination, cyber harassment, offensive jokes, and malicious gossip.
The consultants emphasized that these negative behaviors, which contravene the Labour Act 651 of 2003, hinder the creation of a productive and conducive work environment.
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