One third of UN workers have recently experienced sexual harassment at work. This emerges from a study published yesterday by the consultancy Deloitte on behalf of the United Nations among its employees in November 2018. Slightly more than 30,000 took part.
In the extensive network of many sub-organizations, the UN employs some 44,000 people worldwide. About one in five respondents said they had been feeling assaulted by sexual stories and jokes over the past two years, the study said.
Harassment by men in two-thirds of the cases
Ten percent reported inappropriate contact. More than half gained experience directly at the workplace, many more at events related to their UN activities. In two-thirds of the cases, harassment of men was eliminated. Every fourth of them was a superior.
After internal harassment allegations had been heard by employees, the UN had announced in early 2018 relief efforts such as the establishment of a complaints hotline. The „relatively low“ rate of participation in the study indicates that the UN continues to cause mistrust among its employees and „gives the impression of inaction and lack of responsibility,“ said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
