Following the approval of amendments made to the country’s Sexual Harassment Bill by lawmakers, Gender Minister Olivia Grange says the amended Act will be officially rolled out on Saturday (April 2).

Grange made the announcement during her address at the ministry’s International Women’s Day 2022 banner event, held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston on Tuesday (March 8).

The impending legislation is expected to address concerns about sexual harassment that occur in institutions, are employment-related, or arise in the landlord and tenant relationship.

Further to this, the Act contains provisions for dealing with sexual harassment in the workplace, schools, correctional institutions, places of safety, nursing homes, medical and psychiatric facilities, among other places.

Speaking on the matter, the minister informed: “As we advance the cause for gender equality and justice, we remind ourselves and the nation that the right to live free from fear or harm is enshrined in our Constitution and in the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, to which we are a signatory.”

She noted that the Government is committed to ensuring that Jamaica’s women remain at the forefront of national and international policies and programmes for sustainable development, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Sexual harassment is described as any unwelcome act of sexual advance.

It also means the making of any sexual advance towards a person by another person that is regarded as offensive or humiliating by the person towards whom it is made, or which has the effect of interfering with the work performance of the person to whom the advance is made, or creating an intimidating, offensive or hostile working environment.