ECSL GENDER POLICY

Gender Policy of Electoral Commission For Sierra Leone (ECSL)

The objectives of this gender policy are:

1. To espouse the cause of the right to gender equality and right to dignified livelihood.
2. To foster a social, physical and psychological environment that will enable employees to work productively.
3. To strive for gender justice at both institutional and programmatic level.

ECSL defines gender policy guidelines at two levels: Institutional and programmatic. 

1. Institutional Level
2. Staff Policies: All staff policies, rules and regulations shall be gender sensitive and will be reviewed periodically.
3. Recruitment: ECSL seeks gender balance in staffing. Women candidates will be encouraged to apply for all vacancies including management and leadership positions both at the field and head office. There will be adequate representation of women in recruitment and interview panels.
4. Performance reviews: Gender sensitivity will be one of the performance indicators for assessing employees.
5. Capacity building for gender sensitization: We will organize workshops, training programs and discussions for promoting and enabling a gender sensitive work culture. Also, regular trainings will be conducted on awareness and confidence building of field staff, with special focus on women staff.
6. Harassment: Our Anti Sexual Harassment policy is gender neutral and is in compliance with the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (both prevention, prohibition).
7. Programmatic Level
8. Building skills and capacities on gender perspectives to enable greater participation of all sections of community in our programs will be one of our objectives in all programs.
9. All programs will promote equal participation of all stakeholders. To promote and assess inclusion of gender equality in each project, managers will prepare and use a gender equality checklist.

Committee on Gender Sensitization

Composition of our committee on gender sensitization to address gender issues and concerns is in accordance with committee provisions of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace  (both prevention, prohibition).

Applicability

This policy applies to all regular and contractual staff of ECSL. In case of a complaint as a result of an act by a third party, management will take the necessary preventive and reasonable action to support and assist the affected party.

Reporting

Management will report annually to the Commission on implementation of this policy.