IWD: women urged to relate with men cautiously at the workplace

By Dennis Peprah

Sunyani, March 08, GNA – Women have been urged to be cautious about the way and manner they relate with men at the workplace to avoid being sexually abused or harassed, as Ghana joins the rest of the World to mark the International Women Day (IWD).

March 8, is celebrated annually as the IWD to recognize the socio-economic and cultural and political achievements of women nomic, cultural, and political achievements of women across the globe and marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality.

According to Mr Ephraim Bintnir, the Project Coordinator of the MIHOSO International Foundation, a Sunyani-based NGO, “some men tried to take advantage of women and abuse them sexually because of the way they (women) relate with them at the workplace.”

The MIHOSO foundation works to improve the socio-economic livelihoods of indigenous women and vulnerable and marginalized people in society.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani to mark the IWD, Mr Bintnir also advised unemployed young women to always seek employment, and worked at organisations which were gender sensitize.

They could do this when the take their time and check the history, and background of those organisation they sought or wished to work with, he stated.

There is also the need for women to be educated on human and gender right issues, policies, and conventions so that they would be well empowered and be in a better position to insist on their rights at workplaces, Mr Bintnir.

Miss Irene Esinam Akana, the Gender Advisor, MIHOSO Foundation, asked women to remain bold, speak out and resist attempts by their superiors at the workplace to abuse them sexually.

She said though women were vulnerable, it was uncivilized that some men tried taking advantage of them, when they sought jobs, and asked women not to compromise their stance, instead they prepared themselves well for the job market.

Ms Akana also advised women against indecent dressing and urged them to carry themselves well to earn respect at the workplaces.

“Men you know are usually attracted by the things they see. Sometimes we ourselves push for it and come back to complain,” she stated, and entreated women to remain modest and develop themselves.

GNA