The Office of the Prime Minister has published the manual for the implementation of the policy against sexual harassment in the Public Administration bodies. It aims to fight and prevent sexual harassment in the public sector.
The Director of the Office for Good Governance, at the OPM, Habit Hajredini, said that the manual clarifies what sexual harassment is, the forms of sexual harassment and the mechanisms that will deal with the punishment of this negative phenomenon.
"This policy aims to serve as a guide for preventing and combating all forms of sexual harassment in the Public Administration. To have a real and good environment in the work environment without discrimination, without prejudice and without sexual harassment. I know that this has been taboo for years, I mean it in the full sense of the word, as very few have dealt with this problem, but the time has come to address the issue in fighting and preventing this phenomenon", he said.
The publication of this manual was welcomed by the head of the section for law and justice within the OSCE mission in Kosovo, Mark Lasser, who said that it will help to fight and prevent sexual harassment in the workplace.
He also mentioned some figures from the studies, which according to him show that somewhere around 48 percent of Kosovars have experienced some form of sexual harassment, where 64 percent of them are women.
"Sexual harassment in the workplace is a form of discrimination that negatively affects the work environment, undermines gender equality, creates unfair employment practices and normally affects the well-being of workers. This manual is a guide to prevent all such forms to ensure a work environment free of such harassment. Now regarding sexual harassment, studies estimate that somewhere around 48 percent of Kosovars have experienced some form of sexual harassment in their lives, where women are affected 64 percent compared to men," he said.
On the other hand, the director of the Kosovar Center for Gender Studies, Luljeta Demolli, said that the executive should also focus on fighting and preventing sexual harassment in the private sector, reports kp.
"We are trying to cooperate with the private sector to change the situation. In fact, for us, sexual harassment has always been treated as a form of discrimination based on gender. Also, it is not exclusively related to physical and biological aspects as it is used to be treated in Kosovo, but it is related to hierarchical, social and institutional roles. Bullies usually hold high positions in Kosovo and use decision-making authority in the aspect that they have a significant impact on the careers of employees", she emphasized.
On December 25, 2020, the Government of Kosovo approved the policy against sexual harassment in Public Administration Bodies.
