Objectives of Gender Policy:

• To explicitly state the organizational commitment towards gender

• To provide a direction towards building gender related agenda

• To provide a framework for effectively integrating gender concerns into the

• organizational policies and programs

• To create equal opportunities and a conducive environment for women and men at

• work place

• To promote equal representation and participation of women in decision making at the

• professional/ programmatic and administrative levels.

Elements of Gender Policy:

WHAT WE MEAN BY GENDER:

Babies and Mothers Alive Foundation (BAMA-F) understands that gender refers to the attributes and opportunities associated with being male and female and the socio-cultural relationships between women and men. These attributes, opportunities and relationships are socially constructed and are learned through socialization processes. They are context specific and changeable. In most societies, there are differences and inequalities between women and men in activities undertaken, access to and control over resources, as well as decision- making opportunities. Gender is part of the broader socio-cultural context, which also takes into consideration factors such as class, race, economic status, ethnic group and age. BAMA-F adopts a gender perspective, which means focusing on both women and men and their relationships with each other and resources. In addition, it means working with a global perspective that allows for and appreciates regional diversity. The organization aims at mainstreaming gender by creating an enabling working environment that in turn attracts and helps to retain gender sensitive staff. Only with a gender perspective can a complete picture of human relationships be built. Our gender policy is an integral part of all our organizational policies, programmes and projects and involves building a culture that understands the issues and policies, and respect diversity and gender related concerns. A mere statement of policy and objectives does not ensure the concerns relating to addressing the gender. Towards achieving the above objectives, clear indicators need to be defined to evaluate and assess the organizations commitment towards gender equity on a periodic basis.

For this, following systems have been put in place and appropriate strategies are implemented internally and externally: at the organizational and partners level.

AT ORGANIZATIONAL LEVEL:

A) Staff composition/representation:

• Recruiting adequate women staff and ensuring the balance also at senior levels; with an objective of achieving a numerical gender balance in all posts at all levels

• Ensuring equal opportunities among male and female staff for personal growth, in promotion benefits, training and working conditions

• Ensuring equitable representation and participation of men and women in the core group, Board of Directors and in various functional committees of the organization

B) Workplace:

• Providing a safe and secure workplace for women staff, free from sexual harassment
  Providing an enabling and friendly work environment where both men and women enjoy and actively participate in work. This includes providing flexible working hours and allowing working from home, wherever possible.

• Regularly reviewing the organizational structure and functioning to identify problems in relation to gender imbalances among staff and the work environment and taking definite steps to address the same
  Strategic orientation to staff in the field based programs and advocacy initiatives towards increasing women’s access, control and ownership over resources.

• A female employee who has put in 3 months of service after confirmation shall be entitled for 3 months of Maternity Leave on full pay and if still under probation, she will be eligible for leave without pay for the same length of period.

• Male employees whose spouses give birth shall be entitled for 4 days of leave either immediately after child birth or fifteen days before child birth and fifteen days after child birth for primary parenting and child nurturing. In case of miscarriage/abortion, women staff can avail 2 weeks of leave with full pay and spouses are entitled for 4 days of leave.

• In the field, furthering deliberate and intense efforts to promote participation of women in socio-economic activities
  We facilitate participation and representation of women in various institutional structures created for the management of program initiatives such as working committees, user groups etc.

• Extending constant orientation of field-level partners on gender perspectives as part of long-term gender goals like formal recognition of women’s rights to health, education and other opportunities or resources.

• Ensuring equal pay for equal work for both men and women in the works as part of the programs, where BAMA-F is directly or indirectly involved either as an anchor of the program or as a facilitating support service provider.

• Making special efforts to constantly identify vulnerable women and provide them the necessary support and guidance

• Sensitizing the men and mobilizing their support towards gender equity and balance

• Building awareness and sensitivity by processing information and publishing communication material in diverse media to appeal different strata of people in our functional domain.

C) Staff capacity building:

• We facilitate staff capacity building processes and trainings to enhance perspectives and conceptual clarity on gender issues (for all the staff members). It is an important component of the induction/orientation program.

• Ensure that all trainings (internal and external) facilitated by the organization are gender-sensitive

• Conduct gender sensitivity trainings for both men and women; and ensuring participation of women in all the field level meetings and trainings

D) Organizational policies and systems:

• All HR systems and policies are gender-sensitive and responsive, and integrate gender indicators into staff performance appraisal systems. Incorporate and explicitly mention gender sensitivity as an essential element in the tasks/job profiles in all terms of reference, including TORs for external consultants.

• Ensure that the conceptual clarity and sensitivity on gender issues are one of the important selection criteria in recruitment processes and capacity building efforts of staff
  Initiate and build advocacy around gender balance and integrate gender concerns into the scaling up and mainstreaming of developmental programs

E) Staff benefits:

• Follow all statutory requirements related to maternity and paternity leaves. Ensure that all staff have access to and use information technology regardless of gender

Networking:

• BAMA-F promotes gender concerns in the work with partners.

• BAMA-F will extend support to partner organizations in developing their own gender policies, strategies and programs

• BAMA-F will remain compliant to Government of Uganda gender policies and other relevant frameworks and Integrate them in its programs

Sexual Harassment Policy (Excerpted from BAMA-F HR Manual):

13.1 SEXUAL HARASSMENT:

BAMA-F is committed to providing a safe, pleasant and supportive working environment. All employees are entitled to a work environment that is free from sexual harassment.

The procedures for sexual harassment complaints aim to make it easier for employees to combat sexual harassment at work. The existing grievance and disciplinary procedures will apply to instances of sexual harassment.

Sexual harassment is defined as conduct towards another person which is sexual in nature or which has a sexual dimension and is unwelcome to the recipient. Sexual harassment is not only limited to conduct in the workplace. Actions that occur outside the workplace, but within a work context, will also be taken into account e.g. training venues, functions etc.

Examples of acts, which constitute sexual harassment, include:

Using language written or verbal or comments of a sexual nature which are unwelcome

• Unwelcome comments directed at an individual, based on the individual’s gender, that are abusive in nature

• Sexual innuendoes in the guise of humour to coerce sexual favours

• Sexually degrading words, verbal abuse of a sexual nature; teasing, jokes or questions

• Sexual remarks, flirtations, graphic or suggestive comments about a person’s body, clothing or behaviour

• Patting, pinching or other unwanted touch of another’s body

• Winking, leering or ogling

• Uninvited letters, e-mails and telephone calls that are sexually suggestive Uninvited pressure for dates

• Unwelcome and or offensive sexual advances

• Solicitation of sexual favours or other sexually related behaviour by promise of rewards

• Coercion of sexual activity by threat or punishment

• The display in the workplace of sexually suggestive objects, magazines, cartoons, pictures-including nude photographs, videos or films

• Sexual crimes, including rape, acquaintance rape, attempted rape or sexual assault.

It is the responsibility of the Program Directors and all management staff to recognise sexual harassment when it happens and to take steps to stop it, including making use of the disciplinary procedure when necessary. Managers will respond to all allegations of sexual harassment in an objective but sensitive manner, no matter who is involved in the complaint.

It is the responsibility of all employees to discourage and refuse to collude with harassment. Being silent when abuse is occurring is not enough, as the harasser may interpret this as encouragement.

13.5 PROCEDURE FOR DEALING WITH HARASSMENT, BULLYING & INTIMIDATION

The procedure for those who are the victims of sexual harassment, bullying or intimidation is detailed below:

Informal approach to the person concerned: The employee concerned will be asked to stop and it will be made clear to her/him that their behaviour is unwelcome. The employee alleging that s/ is being harassed may do this alone or with the support of a colleague. If as a result of this, the harassment ceases, this will be the end of the matter.

Reporting it to your supervisor: The employee alleging that s/he is being harassed will report the harassment to his/her supervisor or to the Program Director or Executive Director, where it is the supervisor who is causing the harassment. The appropriate staff will then investigate the complaint informally, ideally within one week of when the complaint is made. S/he will either:

• Find a solution which the employee will be satisfied with, or

• Decide to have a formal complaint raised.

S/he will inform the concerned employee of the outcome of the investigation. At this point, the employee and the relevant manager will write a short written record of the feeling of the employee the outcome.

Making a formal complaint: The employee alleging that s/he is being harassed will contact his/her supervisor (or appropriate staff, where it is the supervisor causing the harassment). The details of the complaint will be written down, when, who was involved, witnesses etc. The written complaint will be given to the line manager who will forward it to the appropriate person/s.

The Program Director, with support from the executive management, will arrange for an investigation to take place, within 10 working days of receiving the complaint. This will involve establishing facts, deciding whether harassment occurred and appropriate action. Only those who have to be involved will take part in the investigation.

At the conclusion of the investigation, if disciplinary action against the harasser is considered appropriate, the disciplinary procedure will be applied with immediate effect.

The employee will then be advised, in writing, of the outcome of the investigation within five working days of the completion of the investigation.

If the employee is still dissatisfied with the outcome of the investigation or subsequent actions, the matter will be taken the matter will be taken up as a grievance using the grievance procedures.