Recommended reading
Best practice guidelines for creating a culture of gender equality in the private sector
Involving businesses in achieving gender equality
Authors:
; Commission for Gender Equality
Publisher:
Commission on Gender Equality, South Africa, 1998
This guide is designed to highlight and promote the involvement of private business in achieving gender equality. Drawing on a number of laws and international commitments to women's rights, including the South African Constitution and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), it seeks to enhance gender equality in the workplace.
The framework has five parts:
- part A focuses on those steps that businesses need to take to formulate a gender policy
- part B provides guidance on tackling gender equality in relation to human resource functions such as recruitment, training and promotion. Recommendations include: incorporate gender awareness into all job descriptions; avoid job descriptions that enhance gender stereotypes; and reach out to relevant women’s groups, networks, and systems to widen recruitment possibilities
- part C deals with sexual harassment. Recommendations include: ensure that the definition of sexual harassment is clear to all employees; set and effect strong penalties; provide opportunities for women to report cases anonymously e.g. “suggestion boxes”
- part D looks more closely at how gender equality concerns are reflected in how businesses deal with external customers or the services they provide
- part E provides insights into how to communicate, monitor and evaluate gender equality policies in the workplace. Various suggestions are outlined: facilitate training and gender awareness sessions; designate specific persons to monitor who should have a high level of authority; use both qualitative and quantitative indicators to assess effectiveness.
Summary written in collaboration with BRIDGE and Siyanda
