Kingston, 9 December 2019 – The Minister of the Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport is urging Jamaicans to participate in the consultations surrounding The Sexual Harassment Act, 2019.

Minister Grange who is chairing the Joint Select Committee of Parliament appointed to consider and report on the Bill says the legislation will have far-reaching implications on society.

Minister Grange said:
“Through our work in this Committee, we can protect all women and men from unwanted sexual advances, requests for sexual favours and crude sexual behaviours that affect quality of life by creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment.”

The Committee is inviting members of the public to give feedback on the Bill ahead of its next meeting early in 2020.

A copy of the Bill is available on the Parliament’s website: www.japarliament.gov.jm.

The Committee requests feedback to be sent to the Clerk to the Houses, Gordon House (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) by Monday, 23 December 2019.

Minister Grange said sexual harassment “is a serious crime” which “militates against the desired level of peace, harmony and happiness in our country.”

The Gender Affairs Minister said she hoped the convening of the Committee would “send a signal to those who sexually harass women and men in employment, in institutions or in landlord-tenant relationships that their days of getting away with it has come to an end.”

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