Employers get new toolkit to combat workplace harassment

From left: Marieme Niang, IFC Regional Gender Hub Lead for Africa and Global GBV Lead, Sazini M., IFC representative, Harriette Chiggai, Women's Rights Advisor to the President of Kenya, and Karine Bachongy, Manager of Global Operations GEID, during the launch of the Respect@Work programme in Nairobi. [Wilberforce Okwiri, Standard]

Kenyan employers will now have a new toolkit to combat workplace harassment under a programme launched by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) on Wednesday, August 20.

The initiative introduces the Gender-Based Violence Centre of Expertise and the Respect@Work programme, designed to help companies prevent and respond to abuse through training, advisory support and peer learning.

IFC said the aim is to make workplaces safer while improving business outcomes.

This comes even as data on workplace abuse in Kenya and East Africa remains scarce, despite broader national statistics showing widespread gender-based violence.

The 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey reported that 34 per cent of women aged 15 to 49 had been subjected to physical violence since age 15, an issue that often extends into workplaces.

Reports by Human Rights Watch and Devex have noted gaps in Kenya's response, including failure to include prevention of gender-based violence in pandemic plans, weak protection mechanisms for survivors and inadequate police support in prosecuting offenders.

Common forms of workplace abuse in Kenya include verbal threats, offensive remarks and hostile behaviour, which undermine productivity, damage company reputation, and erode economic growth.

"Gender-based violence and harassment is not just a personal issue; it is a workplace issue and one that demands urgent and collective action," said Gillian Rogers, IFC Principal Country Officer in Kenya.

"The evidence is clear: workplaces free from violence and harassment are more productive, innovative and inclusive. IFC is committed to partnering with the private sector, offering evidence-based solutions and sharing practical experiences to create work environments where every worker feels safe, valued and empowered," she added.

The Respect@Work programme is part of IFC's Kenya2Equal initiative in partnership with the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE).

It will provide firms with a platform to collaborate and adopt international best practice, including guidance from the International Labour Organisation Convention 190.

The Centre of Expertise, described as a global knowledge hub, will support companies in putting in place policies that promote respect and accountability.

Research cited by IFC shows companies that address violence and harassment record lower staff turnover, higher productivity and stronger reputations.