Topic: Workplace Sexual Harassment
Country: Moldova
Delegate Name: Siri Reed
School: Williamston High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Moldova position papers GLIMUN 2018 committees
As a member of the ECOSOC committee, we fully recognize the uprising issue of harassment in the workplace. Sexual harassment can be defined as any improper and unwelcome sexual advance, whether it’s verbal or physical. Delegates should be aware that women and men can be offenders, and also victims, yet discrimination against women has always been the more prominent issue. Men and women are often silenced on this matter, making it difficult to report. At least 818 million reported women have experienced sexual harassment at home, in their communities, or at work. In Moldova, harassment in the workplace is an extreme issue. It is known that approximately each 5th woman in Moldova has been subject to this kind of matter, while another 20% of women have been verbally threatened or told to have sex by a higher position of power. Moldova has passed amendments to their penal code stating that sexual harassment and misconduct is a crime and will be handled accordingly. An employer is allowed to dismiss any employee under the labour code for any form of sexual disturbance or gender discrimination. It has been known though, for women to be silenced on their stories before being able to report. Moldova has also ratified the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women in 1994 stating that any discrimination based on gender, religion, race, or sexuality is prohibited in the workplace, or in the public eye. Moreover, Moldova is ready to take action on the concern of workplace harassment, and we are open to ideas to a resolution. We want to create a better legal framework that will protect victims of sexual misconduct in the workplace. This may include policies that encourage reporting so that women feel safe from retribution and tightening laws and repercussions when harassment is reported. Workplaces shall clearly define what sexual harassment is, and that there will be a no tolerance procedure against the offender in reported cases. Training employees to recognize when sexual misconduct is taking place, and how to report it, is important. This also goes for supervisors and managers, and what they should do when a case is reported to them. An important note is that the UN has had its own recent troubles with sexual harassment, so it’s evident that this is a widespread issue, and it is extremely hard to eliminate.
