Yahneake Sterling, Staff Reporter

The policy to address sexual harassment, both in private and public institutions in Jamaica, is now being fine-tuned for presentation to the human resource committee of Parliament in January.

The policy is in keeping with the conventions signed by the Jamaican Government, including the 'Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence Against Women, the Convention of Belem do Para', signed last December.

According to Faith Webster, acting executive director of the Bureau of Women's Affairs (BWA), a draft of the policy is now complete, but several issues are still being ironed out.

"About three weeks ago, a group of stakeholders and a sub-committee got together to tighten up certain areas and to refine certain concepts in terms of the definition and the broad policy as it should be represented. It should be finalised early in the new year," Mrs. Webster explained.

She was speaking with The Gleaner at the celebrations in recognition of International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, held at the St. Andrew Parish Church Hall last Thursday.

Final copy

As soon as all the issues under the policy are fine- tuned, the final copy will be submitted to the human resources committee of Parliament, and then to Cabinet.

The sexual harassment policy will be coined for inclusion in several institutions such as the workplace, educational institutions, health institutions, places of safety, prisons and the proprietor/tenant relationship.

Sexual harassment is any unwanted advances, which includes physical contact such as touching, petting, pinching or punching.