BM74: Protocols for prevention and detection of sexual harassment, sexist harassment and harassment due to sexual orientation
Everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. Under that right and according to the Treaty of Amsterdam (1999) the promotion of equality between men and women throughout the European Community became one of the essential tasks of the community.
Thinking about higher education, especially in higher education institutions, we declare that sexual harassment poses an attack on the dignity of people. Higher education institutions must reject sexual harassment in any form, and implement zero tolerance and preventative policies.
Students have the right to physical and moral integrity as well as being protected from degrading treatment, as well as the right to honor, to personal and family privacy and to define themselves as the human being they want to be. For the effective equality of all genders, higher education institutions should prohibit sexual harassment, as well as defining these behaviors. Universities should commit to negotiate with trade unions that represent staff in higher education institutions and develop a protocol of action for the prevention of sexual harassment. It’s important to consider that sexual harassment is a discriminatory behavior and the issue must be identified.
Sexual harassment is any behavior, verbal or physical, of a sexual nature that has the purpose or produces the effect of threatening the dignity of a person, particularly when creating an intimidating environment which is degrading or offensive.
Sexual harassment is performed based on gender, sexual orientation or for identity and expression of gender behaviors that have the purpose or effect of attacking dignity of a person or create intimidating, degrading and offensive environments directed against a person because of their gender, sexual orientation, their identity or gender expression.
ESU urges all HEI s to develop protocols and measures for prevention of sexual harassment so that all people, regardless of, gender, sexual orientation or any other identities, personal or social circumstances, may have a discrimination free experience and feel safe in HEI s.
According to that, states and the European Commission have the responsibility to provide financial support or whatever is needed in order to help HEI’s to develop protocols and other kind of measures.
Proposed by: CREUP
Seconded by: FAGE, OH, NUS-UK, KSU, FEF, LIS, USI, NUIS, UDU, UNEL, SUS, DSF, ANOSR, VSS-UNES-USU, PSRP
