Sexual Harassment Act To Be Rolled Out April 2

The Sexual Harassment (Protection and Prevention Act) 2021 will be officially rolled out on April 2, 2022.

This was disclosed by Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, at the International Women’s Day 2022 banner event, held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in Kingston on March 8.

Minister Grange said the Government is committed to ensuring that Jamaica’s women remain at the forefront of national and international policies and programmes for sustainable development, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

“As we advance the cause for gender equality and justice, we remind ourselves and the nation that the right to live free from fear or harm is enshrined in our Constitution and in the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, to which we are a signatory,” she noted.

The legislation addresses concerns about sexual harassment that are employment-related, occurring in institutions, or arising in the landlord and tenant relationship.

The Act contains provisions for dealing with sexual harassment in the workplace, schools, correctional institutions, places of safety, nursing homes, medical and psychiatric facilities, among other places.

Sexual harassment is described as any unwelcome act of sexual advance.

It also means the making of any sexual advance towards a person by another person that is regarded as offensive or humiliating by the person towards whom it is made, or which has the effect of interfering with the work performance of the person to whom the advance is made, or creating an intimidating, offensive or hostile working environment.