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PROJECT OVERVIEW
The Spotlight Initiative is a global partnership to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls launched in 2017 by the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General and the European Union (EU) High Representative. In Africa, the Spotlight Initiative is being implemented in 8 countries (Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Uganda, and Zimbabwe) with a focus on gender-based violence, sexual reproductive health rights and harmful practices. The overall vision of the Spotlight Initiative in Zimbabwe is that women and girls realize their full potential in a violence-free, gender-responsive and inclusive Zimbabwe. The Spotlight Initiative directly contributes to Zimbabwe’s achievement of three of the country’s prioritized Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Goal 5 on Gender Equality, Goal 3 on good health and well-being and Goal 16 on inclusive and peaceful societies.
The programme contributes to the elimination of SGBV and HPs through the creation of a broad partnership with Civil Society, Government, Private Sector, Media, among others; and build a social movement of women, men, girls and boys as champions and agents of change at the national, subnational and community levels.
ACTIVITY BACKGROUND INFORMATION
In April 2022, the Cabinet of Zimbabwe endorsed Public Service Sexual Harassment policy which provides guidelines on reporting, investigating, and procedures for handling cases of sexual harassment. Additionally, the policy is expected to reduce sexual harassment cases and create a safer workspace. The Public Service Commission (PSC) through the Public Service Academy, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) within the framework of the Spotlight Initiative, developed a Gender and Sexual Harassment module to enhance the knowledge and skills of public service employees regarding issues of gender and sexual harassment at the workplace. The development of the Gender and Sexual Harassment module was done in tandem with the recent baseline survey on sexual harassment (SH) issues which was commissioned and conducted by the PSC in 2021. The module seeks to equip public service employees with knowledge on the domestic and international frameworks for addressing sexual harassment and empower public servants to identify acts of sexual harassment, and to be able to take the necessary preventive and response measures against such acts as well as utilise the grievance and disciplinary procedures identified in the policy.
In an effort to institutionalize the fight against gender and sexual harassment at the workplace, the module will form part of the cross cutting mandatory courses in the Public Service. In order to accelerate the awareness and capacity building on the subject matter, the Academy is desirous to build a pool of competent Trainers who will lead in the roll-out of the module from the 13 Campuses of the Academy.
In light of this, the Academy with support from UNDP intents to engage a consultant (or team of consultants) who are well experienced in the subject matter to train a group of 50 members on the module. The members will be primarily drawn from the Public Service Academy and other selected focal persons from line Ministries and Departments who will also form part of the pool of Trainers for module roll-out.
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