South African Companies Awarded for Commitment to End Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Representatives from local companies in South Africa showed their commitment to end sexual harassment in the workplace by imprinting their hand mark on a banner. (Photo: UN Women.)

UN Women, in collaboration with the International Labor Organization (ILO), honoured local companies in South Africa for their commitment to end sexual harassment at the workplace.

Clicks Group South Africa received the UN Women-ILO Award of Excellence for taking leadership in setting up best practices on sexual harassment in the workplace and ensuring decent work platforms for women.

The award ceremony, held in conjunction with International Women's Day celebrations on 8 March, ended with a “Hands off initiative, where representatives from different companies dipped their hands in paint and copied their palms on a banner. The gesture signified the companies' commitment to unite with others on building decent work environments for all.

According to a 2003 study on South Africa by the Sexual Harassment Education Project (SHEP), 77 percent of women and 20 percent of men in the country experience sexual harassment at some point during their working lives. The report states, 67 percent of all sexual harassment is committed by men against women.

For more information contact rosemary.muchengeti[at]unwomen.org or patricia.rey[at]unwomen.org.