Compendium of International and National Legal Frameworks on Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Aarushi Sinha, Alexandra Leão, Annabelle Vinois, Duygu Cicek, Edith Ruguru Mwenda, Eklavya Vasudev, Fatima Sanokho, Gamila Kassem, Gloria Kuoh, Isabel Micaela Santagostino Recavarren, Isabela Franco Emerick Albergaria, Isabella Micali Drossos, Laura Basse, Luciana Ribeiro Lepri, Luiza Lacerda Bogado, Maya Goldstein-Bolocan, Natália Mazoni Silva Martins, New Doe Kaledzi, Pierre Mury, Paula Tavares, Renske Hoekstra, Saba Nabeel Gheshan, Samila Dutra, Sara Guerreiro, Sheela Reddi, Souad Adnane, Viktoria Khaitina, Wendy Johanna Melisi | 2019

Introduction

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace (SHWP) is a universal and widespread phenomenon that affects millions of women of all social strata worldwide. It is an endemic issue that has gained increased visibility and attention since the beginning of the “#MeToo” movement. In this Compendium on International and National Legal Frameworks on Sexual Harassment in the Workplace (the “Compendium”), SHWP is understood as a gender-specific form of violence, commonly directed against women and occurring in employment or the workplace. It includes requests for sexual favors, unwelcome sexual advances or other sexual conduct, whether physical or verbal, which involves a “quid pro quo” aspect (e.g. request for sexual favors used to make employment decisions) and/or creates an intimidating, hostile, toxic, humiliating or offensive working environment1. As one of the pervasive expressions of gender-based violence, it reflects discriminatory social norms, stereotypes, impunity and gender inequality.