NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 24 – The Institute of Human Resource Management (IHRM) has condemned alleged sexual abuse at Kenyan tea farms.
The HR body says that it totally condemns sexual harassment at the workplace while welcoming investigations on the matter.
A BBC expose detailed how female employees of Unilever and James Finlay & Co. tea plantations were allegedly subjected to sexual exploitation and abuse by the supervisors and managers of the tea firms.
On Wednesday, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Noordin Haji, directed the Inspector General of Police, Japhet Koome, to investigate the matter.
Haji said the allegations are contrary to Sections 4, 5, 6, 23(1), and 26 of the Sexual Offences Act, as well as Section 6(1) of the Kenya Employment Act.
“Sexual harassment is a serious violation of human rights that should not be tolerated in any workplace. All employees and job seekers have the right to work in an environment that is free from harassment, intimidation, and discrimination. IHRM stands with the victims who have been affected by this heinous act,” IHRM Executive Director CHRP Quresha Abdullahi.
The Employment Act defines sexual harassment as “any unwanted conduct of a sexual nature that has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity, creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment for the person.”
The Kenya Plantation and Agricultural Workers Union (KPAWU) demanded that the James Finlay and Unilever tea companies cease sourcing labour through contractors.
KPAWU instead wants the tea firms to offer direct employment to all contracted employees.
‘We call on all employers to take proactive measures to prevent sexual harassment in their organizations and to create a safe and respectful working environment for all employees,” she said.
“This includes providing education and training to employees on what constitutes sexual harassment and how to report it, as well as establishing clear policies and procedures for addressing complaints of harassment.”
