tidings
Paula Lindo
The creation of a joint regional policy by the Caribbean Employers’ Confederation (CEC) and the Caribbean Congress of Labor (CCL) to address gender-based violence (GBV) in the workplace is just the beginning. Implementation will require changing deeply rooted cultural values in the Caribbean.
Organization presidents Wayne Chen and Andre Lewis, respectively, made similar statements at the virtual policy signing, facilitated by the Cipriani College of Labor and Cooperative Studies. The positions are an extension of UNFPA’s Spotlight Initiative, where Caribbean employers and trade unions will collaborate to address gender-based violence at the workplace level.
Chen said the two organizations began working on the policy documents on April 6 and with the help of the college had held two workshops on May 18 and June 8 with 47 companies and 50 union representatives in 18 Caribbean countries to develop and finalize the policies. . .
“The policy will serve as a guide for employers to address GBV at two levels: primary prevention by informing employers and employees what GBV looks like so that it can be prevented before it happens, and secondary prevention by protecting and /or reduce the risk of exposure to violence against women and girls (VAWAG).
He said the CEC pledged to promote the adoption and dissemination of the policy in its 14 member countries.
“We still have a long way to go to make the policy truly embedded in the mindset of our leaders, employers and workers. Before the end of this year, the CEC will continue to raise awareness of the policy through an engaging online campaign, which will raise awareness of GBV and encourage behavior change across the region. There will also be regional training that will reach national employers’ associations to achieve this goal. This policy is just the beginning, committed not only to shaping workplace policy, but to changing workplace culture and creating a zero-tolerance approach to GBV.
UNFPA Caribbean subregional liaison Aurora Noguera-Ramkissoon said the Spotlight Initiative focuses on the specific type of GBV that is most prevalent in a given region.
“We know globally that 1 in 3 women will experience GBV in their lifetime worldwide. In the Caribbean, recent studies published by UN Women point out that there is an average lifetime prevalence of intimate partner violence of 45 percent, with women who are victims of domestic abuse at significant risk of being killed by intimate partners or family members. of the family. As such in the Caribbean the focus of the Spotlight Initiative has been domestic violence.
“We recognize that the workplace is an important and strategic place to prevent GBV. Why workplace? Most people spend at least eight hours at work, so domestic violence can be exacerbated when there is a lack of support structures in the workplace and an environment of bullying or inequality.”
She said the same report said more than 75 percent of adults in counseling at the Rape Crisis Association for incidents of sexual violence did not file a report.
“Many people who access counseling have never gone to court or filed a complaint, many don’t want to go through the process or feel ashamed. This speaks to the key role of trade unions and employers in creating safe zones in the workplace for the exchange of preventive information, but also information on where survivors can receive services.
“These shared political positions challenge the behaviors that drive these harmful practices, creating environments where survivors feel supported and equipped with information and tools to seek guidance and support. They provide an essential framework to ensure that anyone experiencing GBV, abuse and harassment in the workplace has greater access to coordinated support, including special leave, anonymous reporting, confidentiality and employee assistance programmes.
Lewis said signing the position signifies CCL’s commitment to combating GBV in the workplace, at home and in the wider community. He said the policy covers all workers, including those who may be discriminated against because of their sexual orientation.
“Every worker who is abused, unions must support him. What we need to recognize is that the challenge will not be solved overnight, but we have made a commitment to engage the wider community, from a labor perspective, through our shop steward system, our engagement with our workers, ongoing reminders , constant seminars, constant reminders and reexaminations and explanations of goals.”
Chen said the CEC was moving towards developing a toolbox to help its members implement the steps listed in the policy.
“Recognizing that what is straightforward enough for a larger organization is more difficult for small and medium-sized organizations, where the vast majority of our workers are employed. I’m talking about the sensitivity of trust within an organization. When someone is experiencing GBV, who do they talk to? Is it a trusted person, a confidential person, a person sensitive to the matter and after they have made the report, is it dealt with in an objective and impartial way that recognizes the confidentiality and seriousness of the matter? At the moment, we are not there and we have real work to do to raise awareness of the issue, within organizations and nationally.”
