examine the gendered need and rights of employee working in the flower farm has never been timelier . While women report for 70 to 80 pct of workers in the highly remunerative horticulture sphere , they are often in seasonal employment or get on board as casual laborers .   Since they are encumbered by the procreative and care roles , heyday farms seems to prefer men to cleaning woman when it comes to permanent employment .

by Joyce Chimbi

“ We need to preserve building momentum around wider stakeholder mesh to ascertain that the role and spot of women is addressed , so that they too , can enjoy all the benefits of being a actor in the prime industriousness , ” says Hannah Gathoni , an counsellor with the Federation of Women Lawyers - Kenya .

Gender expert say that adult female should not be penalized and perceived to be less reliable workers because of the many other responsibilities that await them at home . Women still carry out at least two and a half time more unpaid home chores and caution than men .   “ But when given a responsibility in their places of work , women have proven that they can deliver . This is the same scenario that we are advocating for in the cut efflorescence sphere , ” Gathoni adds .

Research done under the Women@Work Campaign depict that gift in the female body of work violence in the flower farm is skillful for business . grammatical gender experts argue that investing in woman includes applying gender sensitive policy and recitation , abide by human right and non - favouritism , promote education and grooming , and providing or where potential , and chance for professional promotion .

Sexual harassment policy“Investing in women includes providing them with an surroundings free from sexual harassment . Where they are appraised on merit and every worker has accession to a fair study surroundings increase their performance , ” said Eunice Waweru , the Executive Director of   Workers ' Rights Watch .

Waweru says flower farms are slowly becoming receptive towards stakeholder who can provide their worker with tools to better perform their duty . “ doer Rights Watch has trained hundreds of workers in the flower farms on the   Sexual Harassment Policy . promote a healthy environment where all workers are treated with respect and lordliness is full for womanhood , men and is adept for patronage , ” she articulate .

She adds that in deference with the Kenyan legislation , especially the Employment Act of 2007 ; segment 6 , the Labor Relations Act ; Section 2 , the Sexual Offences Act ; Section 23 and the bill of right hand : segment 28 , any behavior that fits into any soma of sexual torment has been clearly and flatly criminalized . “ Any employees , or employer behavior that match into the definition of intimate torment represent a form of misconduct , which may result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal , ” Waweru enlarge .

Gender committeesIncreased cognisance among workers and employers , on sex sexual harassment , is therefore a very critical stride towards gender equation and fairness . “ The establishment of gender committees has reduced case of sexual harassment . These committee are made up of workers in the flower farms . They take heed to case on sexual harassment and resolve them , ” says Jedidah Kamau , a worker in a Naivasha flower farm .

She says that in the past , these case were too many and rogue executive program would take advantage of ignorance around intimate molestation and how workers need to respond . “ In case the gender citizens committee is faced by a case that can not be solved at their level , they forward the case to the direction . Many supervisors nowadays are very careful about how they conduct business , ” Kamau mention .

enquiry has shown that a venerating work polish can service as an incentive for worker to go the extra Roman mile and surpass their targets . “ But when a supervisor favors a worker because they have a kinship , this demoralizes other workers and multitude finish up doing their work because they have to . Not because they enjoy it and have the skills to carry through it , ” add Kamau .

Women working in the flower sector acknowledge that in many flower farms where there is a useable sexuality committee , there is a detectable increased confidence among female proletarian because they feel protect . “ Women are now offering themselves to link up the Union as leaders and this is something that was not there in the past . Where women are pass the right tool , they can attain so much without fear , ” adds Kamau .

Source : Women@Work Campaign