Sexual harassment a challenge in service industry

Despite the service sector growing at fast rate, it is also cause for major challenges on gender equality, and gender-based violence, especially for females working in the hospitality sector. Cecile Kayirebwa, a tourism student, who spoke through a documentary aired during the high-level meeting on the promotion of gender equality in the service sector, noted that the girls and women are more exposed to gender-based violence. The meeting organised by the Private Sector Federation, Chamber of Tourism in partnership with Gender Monitoring Office, was meant to assess opportunities and challenges in enhancing gender equality in the tourism and hospitality sector. “Working in the hospitality sector has many challenges such as sexual harassment from clients, and late working hours. Such issues have given rise to bad attitudes towards the tourism and hospitality sector, to the extent of forcing parents, and the public in general, from discouraging girls to take up courses and jobs in the service sector,” said Kayirebwa. Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Morris Muligo, the Deputy Commissioner of CID, said that even though gender-based violence and sexual harassment in the service sector was still minimal, there was need for stakeholders to be aware of the issue and fight it beforehand as the country aims to become the regional service hub. “We need to create distinctive standards in our hotels and tourism companies so that our clients respect our female employees. This will bring about respect to our culture and businesses. Arab countries have set standards, and you will rarely hear of sexual-based violence. We need to change our attitude in order to promote gender-equality in the service industry,” Muligo told participants at the meeting. He warned that the criteria of hiring in hospitality sector was rather ‘worrying’’; whereby service sector players hire young, good looking girls and give them uncomfortable dress-codes such as short skirts and tight shirts which improved the risk of sexual harassment and or gender-based violence. ACP Muligo added that such young girls, who in some cases are not as professional, tend to be paid little money, which in most cases forces them to look for extra income in inappropriate ways. “Our country has done well in gender promotion. But there is need to not only promote gender equality but also fight sexual-based violence by respecting our girls and protecting them from sexual harassment. This will bring respect to our nation,” Muligo pointed out. The Minister of Gender and Family Promotion (MIGEPRO), Oda Gasinzigwa, acknowledgde that efforts to fight sexual harassment should be strengthened sooner than later. “We don’t have to wait until we have cases of sexual harassment to act. We have heard that such cases could be happening, though to a minimal rate, and we have to collaborate with service sector players in ensuring that our young girls and even boys who work in hotels are respected,” said Gasinzigwa, who also added that hotel operators have to look beyond financial gains and strive to protect the dignity of their employees and the culture of the nation. Belise Kariza, the Chief Tourism Officer at Rwanda Development Board (RDB) said there was need to sensitise service sector players on gender-based violence and sexual harassment, as well as encouraging them to hire professionals who would be able to defend their rights. “Just as much as people know that one would not cross into Rwanda territory with a polythene bag, we also have to come up with strict preventive modes in fighting sexual harassment in the service sector,” Kariza said. She suggested that a special committee composed of Police, Gender Monitoring Office and members of the service sector should be structured to regularly check on the issue of gender-based violence in the service sector. Chief Gender Monitor, Rose Rwabuhihi, said hotel operators should consider employees as their own children and protect them from any sort of gender-based violence. Participants in the dialogue included hotel, bars and restaurants owners, airlines, travel and tours operators, schools and TVETs, public institutions including, Civil Society Organizations and security organs, among others. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Sexual harassment a challenge in service industry