magazine WOmen | Page 14

Constitution to prohibit gender-based discrimination when hiring, this proposed amendment would also force employers to keep the workplace free of sexual harassment.

Locally in Mexico City from 1999-2000 there were several campaigns that had significant impact on sexual harassment. The most effective were organized by local governments of Mexico City and by the  Red de Mujeres Sindicalistas (Women Unionists Network). Mexico has indicated its willingness to address the problem of sexual harassment in the workplace by establishing several well-known international treaties. These treaties include the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) established in 1981 also involved was the Optional Protocol of this Convention in 2002. Mexico has also ratified 77 ILO Conventions, including the following: Underground Work (Women) of 1935 (C45), Equal Remuneration of 1951 (C100), Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) of 1958 (C111), and the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention of 1989 (C169).

Not only have they established all of the things in the previous paragraph but they’ve also established the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention Punishment and Eradication of Violence against Women in 1998. This Convention makes various provisions against sexual harassment. More specifically, article 6 provides discrimination as a form of violence against women, article 2b is violence against women including sexual harassment in the workplace, and article 3 every women has the right to be free from violence.

The requirements are for the government agencies to take responsibility for ensuring safe working environments for women. They need to make a domestic legislation to prevent, punish and eradicate the violence against women and to amend existing laws and regulations.

Regardless of these ratifications the country is far from effectively protecting its working women from sexual harassment and abuse in the workplace.

A study was made, 160 wage women workers, from four different parts of the economy public health care institutions, public schools, the informal retail industry, and export manufacturing, were asked several different questions. These were the results. 60% are between the ages of 20 and 39. 50% are married or live with their partners. 63% have children. 53% are at work between 40-48 hours per week (which does not include household work). 87% have at least one other member of the household who contributes financially. 62% have a male direct supervisor.

Given these answers the came up with the following characteristics to consider about sexual harassment. 28% of respondents are not familiar with the term sexual harassment, and therefore would be unable to recognize it as harmful. 26% recognize that sexual harassment is an unwanted behavior, but know little else about it. 11% of respondents assume that only aggressive sexual violence constitutes sexual harassment. 53% are not aware that there are any laws that punish against sexual harassment. 47% have suffered from some form of sexual harassment at the workplace. Of those 47%, 25% involved unwanted touching, 12% were threatened to give in to demands or suffer real consequences, and