Comments

I feel there could have been more in-depth analysis to reasons why RSE workers from the Pacific misbehaved. Threats of blacklisting would create a stigma for retuning workers. Is there re-integration programs as well for the blacklisted, ensuring they're accepted back into society? This social dilemma needs closer observations. The workers are low skilled and mostly from rural continents which means less education, skills and confidence in a foreign land. While the stats are from 2007, it is still alarming. Also, why must inappropriate behaviour by workers be documented? Are RSE workers expected to perfect? Are there counselling support provided? The weight of the integrity of the scheme on one worker if not two, will create negative social impacts if not closely observed.

There is an emergency fund aproved by the parliament which is equivalent to 4% of the budget ( if i'm right). Let's hope this crisis is a one-off situation.

Thanks Helen. Absolutely correct. Seasonal worker program has been a bad scheme. In the Islands you have churches from where your youth/adults list for work. Here it needs a minister to work it, with one, ethical person, whom sole responsibility is the person, the worker. co-ordinating, small farms, not big multi dollar farms. They have the money to pay their workers, small farms, need your workers, but your workers, in a strange land, need cultural, money, house, and food support. We are on to it. sandi, 0413 619 175

Dear anon - I’m so sorry that you went through this traumatic incident, and that it shaped your trajectory negatively thereafter. It’s awful that your employer didn’t have any framework for support to you (eg pre-deployment briefing and real support channels) and it’s doubly awful that this older male behaved with such hypocrisy, and indeed impunity. Presumably for many years. In this story I see myself in one of the clueless male colleagues discussing these things blithely over dinner. I’m going to be doing some reflecting on this. Wishing you all the best.

I am her daughter and seeing my mum like this was very hard it is very wrong to do this and is so incredibly rude. All I want to say is good work mum. ❤️

Appreciate this obituary. Sir Michael was a great leader for PNG. His legacies will continue forever.

Congrats Kings-man data is very important for decision making.

Thank you Mr August.

Very well written. It would be be interesting to see EU's reaction to this article.

Very well written article Mr. Prasad.

Thank you Anonymous for posting. You should not have doubted yourself or should you ever. This was plain and simple an assault. We have been victims of different forms of harassment at the workplace. Sometimes bawdy jokes, sometimes deeply disturbing explicit comments. Often when we stand up for ourselves or others we are not well accepted. I appreciate you sharing your story so others may also have the courage to come out with theirs and stand up to harassment and assault.

I am so sorry to read your story but even more sorry that I am not more surprised. During my first field assignment I was shocked and disappointment to step into a culture of sexism and sexual harassment, despite the values espoused by the organization. I was one of only two female international staff and all of the local female staff served in domestic functions. Despite being a technical expert, I was routinely excluded from strategic decisions, and rather asked to perform secretarial work, such as attending meetings with our head of office to take notes for him. On one occasion I was asked - in writing- to not attend a strategic decision making meeting so that I could cook dinner instead for my male colleagues. I experienced recurrent sexual harassment by a male colleague where I felt obligated to laugh off him making repeated comments about my appearance in the workplace even though they made me feel very uncomfortable. Ultimately, on an evaluation mission in the field where I was the only female present, the male colleague felt emboldened to make unwanted sexual advances towards me. After I asked him to share with me his feedback on a document, he pushed me to work on it together in his room where he had moved the WiFi router. He proceeded to suggest that we work on it together on his bed. Upset, I left his room but he did not take no for answer. He repeatedly knocked on the door to me my room and sent me texts asking me to reconsider spending the night with him. When I reported the incident, I was informed by my manager that it was not considered sexual harassment but was attributed to "cultural differences". Several of my male colleagues who openly spoke of frequenting sex workers and a male colleague dating a local staff (despite it being strictly against the organization's policy) was also attributed to "cultural differences". Yet, I simultaneously was informed that my boyfriend was not welcome in my room with the door closed due to needing to respect the cultural values of my male colleagues. At the end of the mission when I shared my frustrations with sexism in the work place, I was retaliated against with an evaluation that said I was not "respectful of other cultures", did not uphold the values of the organization and that I did not manage a high stress work environment well. For refusing to tolerate sexism and sexual harassment, I was punished. I wish I could say that my experience is an exception in the humanitarian sector, but I am realizing it is all too common. Blatant sexism and sexual harassment need to be extinguished by the humanitarian sector.