Nataliey Bitature speaks at a UNFPA launch about why employers should tackle gender-based violence. Uganda loses $20 million annually to it, and companies can help through compassionate HR policies, flexible schedules, and safe transport for staff.
Recently I attended the launch of the corporate collective Against Gender Based Violence hosted by unfpa. This is such a wonderful initiative. I'm so glad that UNFPA has taken the time to invite the private sector and get them involved in the fight against gender based violence. This is something that people think is either cultural or it's an NGOs problem, or it's a marital problem, or it's something that should be kept in the home. And it's not. It's something that affects every single one of us. If your colleague or co worker is having a problem at home, if they can't get home safely, if they are struggling in their personal life, how are you being there for them? Are you being a good friend? Are you being a good colleague? Are you being a good employer? Because that's going to affect their productivity and your bottom line, which is unfortunately the only way we can engage private sector companies to be more involved. Understand the monetary loss, the value of what gender based violence is doing to your organization. UNFPA predicts that in Uganda we are losing $20 million a year because of gender based violence. These are the days that women can't show up at work. This is the loss in product activity that you're having. There are so many more ripple effects with when a person is not able to do their job because of a problem they're having at home. And it's something I think as employers it's important for us to be more involved in. In America, they're having what is called a suicide epidemic. There's so much more depression and suicide among millennials than any generation before. So now employers are being forced to have better mindfulness in the workplace, to have more flexible time, to be more understanding, more compassionate, to take more interest in their employees well being because they are losing money. That's what it is at the end of the day that is driving the private sector. If you're going to lose money because your employees are not of sound mind and health and body and they're able to do their jobs, it's hurting you as a company. And now that goes against your mission and your drive. And if you have shareholders, you're now doing them a disservice. So if that's what has to motivate you, it's fine as long as you take an interest. When we were discussing the different things employers can do, we used the example. At Sky's hotel, our staff are all picked up and dropped every day because we understand the late hours, especially with women cashiers trying to get home at 2am you don't want to risk an incident. Something happened on the way home at that stage when she was walking in the darkness, that is terrible. And it's something that's going to affect not only our bottom line because she won't be able to work, but her own well being. The trauma, the depression, the fear that that person will now carry for the rest of their life. Yet it's something as an employer that you can take a simple step to mitigate, to make sure that you're more involved, that you're more understanding that your HR has a compassionate approach to help people get through difficult situations. You can't say that's their problem at home. It doesn't affect us. We don't live like that anymore. We live in communities. So your problem is my problem. We are all tied together and it's a better attitude, I think, because that's how everyone will move forward together in a healthier way. So I encourage more companies to take an interest in your employees, take an interest in what's going on with them and also make it an environment where people are comfortable to say, I'm having this problem at home, I don't know what to do. And have some support there for them, see how you can help them. Because it doesn't take much, but the effect is profound. You're going to help someone and change their life, change their trajectory, change the potential that they are able to reach. So it makes sense as employers who have the capacity and the power and position to help and to be invested in their employees and make sure that your employee is happy to be there and feel supported and feels like it's a place that they can share this kind of information. Because that employee is now going to have more trust, more loyalty. They'll be more attached to the organization, to the mission, to the people, and they will last much longer. They will perform much better. It's something that is very good of us as human beings to do for each other, but also as employers, it makes financial sense. So I encourage you to get on board.
