Gender inequality and sexual harassment in the workplace

The issue of gender inequality in the corporate world is a phenomenon that cuts across continents and countries. Even developed countries like USA have maybe just about 4 or 5% of women only in leadership executive positions. The reasons are hydra headed and cannot be explored in its entirety here. It has its roots in several things.

1. The way women and men are wired- which determines our approach to things, which may not necessarily fit the corporate world, or perceived differently.

2. Gender stereotypes which dates back to many years and is still very much alive. People expect that a man should be head in everything, especially in workplaces, and not a woman. They will do anything to enforce that, even where there’s a qualified woman for the intended position.

3. The several caps that women wear and roles that they play as wives, mothers, home keepers and managers and so on, makes their lives very demanding such that balancing their roles become a problem. As natural nurturers, they end up sacrificing their careers for their family and go for less demanding or less lucrative jobs.  A man won’t do that. These are a few of the reasons.

On laws for sexual harassment, I don’t think there are such laws, perhaps at organisational level but not at national level. Each organisation can determine their laws but I do not think Government has any in place. Should we have? Hmmm! Yes & No! Yes, it will be good to have but who will enforce it? We still struggle with issues of sexual abuse of children where families don’t want to go to court because of the shame and stigma, even where fathers abuse their daughters and should be incarcerated! People plead to settle out of court and bury the case. We struggle with cases of domestic violence where husbands beat wives to death and father in-laws are trying to bribe the judge to pervert justice, to set their sons free (even Pastor’s sons)! So, if we have laws against sexual harassment, good as it may sound, I don’t think it’ll be enforced. People will laugh it off and consider it trivial.  Are we genuinely prepared for this? Having asked this crucial question, I remain positive about a change that will reorganise the status quo for the best.

Adebola Atoyebi

CEO / Director of Studies, Heritage House Montessori Centre

President, Chosen Vessels Empowerment Foundation