On Thursday, April 27, 2023, Target’s agents and collaborators participated in a training session on preventing sexual harassment in the workplace.

Together with UN Global Compact Network DRC and UN Women, the ultimate goal of this training was to get the staff well-educated on the necessary laws and provisions on the issue and to propose methods and techniques to prevent this anti-value at work.

Due to the diverse nature of this training, both men and women were able to understand their roles and responsibilities on the harassment issue.

Pacific NKUNZI, UN Women Gender and Elections Expert, defined sexual harassment as the repeated imposition of sexual or sexist comments or behaviors on a person that violates their dignity because of their degrading or humiliating nature, creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive situation for the person.

Many other forms of harassment have been reviewed, including moral and sexist harassment. Repeated attacks, demands, criticisms, or unjustified complaints by a colleague, employer, or supervisor recognize the first form. Similarly, the second one is assimilated to any activity related to a person's sex, affecting their dignity.

Sexual harassment is only punishable under the law when the victim files a complaint, said Pacifique NKUNZI, clarifying that only the opinion of a third party or witness does not count.

However, the gender expert drew participants’ attention to distinguish sexual harassment and sexual assault, "As soon as there is physical contact between you and the perpetrator, we can talk about sexual assault. In this case, he said the sanction is more severe because it is a more serious offense.

In addition, Mr. Pacifique mentioned some of the consequences of sexual harassment: the victim’s resignation, unproductivity, mistrust, and lack of conviviality within the company.

The instructor of the day urged Target women to be competent and professional, especially to build a

personality that deserves a respectful look that would be a barrier against any stalker.

The seminar ended with a word of thanks from the General Manager of Target, who recalled the values upheld by Target before condemning any cruel practice within the company.

"Women or men, no one deserves to be harassed (...), the law of silence does not benefit anyone, we must denounce", said Serge Mumbu. Yet, he went forth by thanking the UN Global Compact Network DRC, represented by Mrs. Jessica WEBE, a network of private companies initiated in 2000 by Koffi Annan and currently aims to encourage the private sector to achieve Sustainable Development Goals.