The Tribune

By ALICIA WALLACE

International Women’s Day has, once again, come and gone. It is still Women’s History Month, however, and this is a good time to look at the progress made on women’s rights and be attentive to the persisting issues and what each and every person can and must do to affect change. Advocates, non-governmental organisations, and members of the public look to the government to make necessary changes to laws and policies in order to eliminate gender-based violence against women and combat gender-based discrimination. Businesses, though, are not often thought of or called upon to do their part.

Most of us spend our most valuable time at work and the workplace shapes our lives, both by what it demands of us, what it exposes us to, and the constraints it imposes on our lives. We must, then, look to employers to see us all as human beings, recognised that we have full lives, face the ways they contribute to gender inequality, and make adjustments so that that workplaces are not only productive, but responsive to the needs of the employees who keep them running.

Here are four policies that businesses need to adopt rather than waiting for the government take action and force the changes across the board:

1. Sexual Harassment Policy.

In 2025, there should be no business that does not have a sexual harassment policy. Even small businesses need to have human resource manuals and employee handbooks that acknowledge sexual harassment as a form of workplace discrimination, explains what it is and the forms it takes, and explicitly states that it will not be tolerate. There must be a clearly articulated procedure for reporting sexual harassment and handling the complaint.

2. Provide expanded parental leave.

The law currently allows for 13 weeks of maternity leave. There is no leave for fathers. These are both issues which become obvious when one becomes a parent and faces the reality of the healing process for mothers and the bonding that needs to happen with both mothers and fathers. Employers do not need to wait for law to make the necessary changes. Some companies have already taken small steps by providing paid leave to fathers, though the leave period is quite short. Both parents need time at home with their newborn. The birthing parents experiences pain, discomfort, and difficulty moving on her own, so she often requires assistances. The other parent needs to be present to provide that support and to participate in the care of the newborn.

Women face consequences of maternity leave when they return to work. It is not limited to people referring to this health leave as “vacation” or having bad attitudes due to the change in workload or dynamics during the mother’s absence, but includes the complete exclusion from opportunities for growth and promotion as people make decisions for her because she is a mother “can’t” do certain things like work late or travel for work. When men have leave, it helps to level the field in multiple ways. It challenges the idea that women are solely responsible for childcare, it gives men the opportunity to learn about and participate childcare alongside the women, and it combats the gender discrimination at work with both men and women benefitting from leave and face the reality of returning to work.

3. Implement C190 and R206.

The Bahamas ratified the International Labor Organization’s Convention 190 (C190) on Eliminating Violence and Harassment in the World of Work in November 2022. While the International Organization allows one year from the date of ratification for its Conventions to come into force, C190 has yet to be implemented.

Convention 190 defines the world of work broadly, extending beyond what may usually be considered the office, store, worksite, or other distinct area in which work is undertaken. Article 3 says:

“This Convention applies to violence and harassment in the world of work occurring in the course of, linked with or arising out of work:

(a) in the workplace, including public and private spaces where they are a place of work;

(b) in places where the worker is paid, takes a rest break or a meal, or uses sanitary, washing and changing facilities;

(c) during work-related trips, travel, training, events or social activities;

(d) through work-related communications, including those enabled by information and communication technologies;

(e) in employer-provided accommodation; and

(f) when commuting to and from work.”

Employers have a responsibility to create and maintain work environments that are free of harassment and violence. Recommendation 206 (R206), which accompanies C190 is an excellent place for employers to start as it includes the concrete actions that can be taken toward to the elimination of violence and harassment in the world of work.

It states, for example, that workplace policy should:

(a) state that violence and harassment will not be tolerated;

(b) establish violence and harassment prevention programmes with, if appropriate, measurable objectives;

(c) specify the rights and responsibilities of the workers and the employer;

(d) contain information on complaint and investigation procedures;

(e) provide that all internal and external communications related to incidents of violence and harassment will be duly considered, and acted upon as appropriate;

(f) specify the right to privacy of individuals and confidentiality, as referred to in Article 10(c) of the Convention, while balancing the right of workers to be made aware of all hazards; and

(g) include measures to protect complainants, victims, witnesses and whistle-blowers against victimisation or retaliation.

4. Flexible working hours.

While most people have to work full time in order to meet basic needs, there are demands beyond the workplace because we all live more full, complex lives than robots designed to produce, produce, produce. By law, all children of school age must be enrolled in and attend school. They need to be transported to and from school and, in many cases, this requires the involvement of at least one adult who has the use of a car or can accompany them by bus. This is the safest option for children who are young, small, impressionable, sexualised, and at-risk of harm at the hands of adult predators. Being an employee and being a parent are not mutually exclusive. Many parents have to leave work during the work day to collect their children from school and take them home or to another place where it is expected that they will be supervised and remain safe. The eight-hour work day with one hour break does not accommodate this specific, common need.

Many parents use their lunch hours for school pickup. This has become a norm, but it is not acceptable. It means a large proportion of employees do not have time to eat lunch — necessary for the physical health and cognitive function — or to take care of themselves in other ways, including having a break from their tasks. In addition, with most schools ending the day at the same time, causing an increase in traffic on the road, one hour is not sufficient. Not only would it be helpful to allow for flexible work hours, but it would be beneficial to make allowances for more flexible work structure and location, including the option to work from home. Working from home for part of the day — for example, from 1pm  to 5pm — or two to three days per week can assist employees in making the most of their work days while attending to their personal and familial needs. This also contributes to wellbeing in the workplace.

By extending these options to all employees, employers make it possible for fathers to be more full participants in the lives of their children by meeting one of their practical needs. When both mothers and fathers do the school run, there is less distinction between mothers and fathers which can lead to the end of stigma against mothers who are judged and punished for being mothers and having certain responsibilities laid at their feet with no support from fathers who are left to excel at work.

Gender-based violence against women and gender inequality are linked. Ending violence against women and achieving gender equality require the same kinds and levels of work. We are saddled with one lousy government administration after another, and we have to make our demands more consistently and loudly with every general election, and employers are left to do the bare minimum. This has to change. We must continue to pressure the government, and we must demand more of employers. The cost of treating employees like human beings can not be accepted as an excuse for inhumane practices and failures to adjust to the changing reality and the knowledge we gain which should result in change. Any business that cannot afford to implement policies and programs that reduce and eventually eradicate gender-based violence and discrimination cannot afford to be in business. They need to crunch the numbers and figure it out. Workers are not just means of production. Workers are people, with human needs and human rights. Employers need to step up and take action, even as the government fails to lead the way.