A workplace harassment policy is a written document, usually issued by an employer's human resources or legal department, that defines prohibited conduct, sets out reporting channels, and describes how complaints will be investigated and resolved. In the context of think tanks, diplomatic missions, Model UN secretariats, and research institutes, such policies are increasingly treated as a baseline governance requirement.
Core elements typically include:
- A definition of harassment covering sexual harassment, bullying, discriminatory conduct based on protected characteristics (e.g., sex, race, religion, disability), and retaliation against complainants.
- Scope, specifying whether the policy applies only to employees or also to interns, volunteers, contractors, conference participants, and off-site events.
- Reporting mechanisms, including named contact persons, anonymous channels, and external ombuds options.
- Investigation procedures, often referencing principles of confidentiality, due process for the accused, and protection of the complainant.
- Sanctions, ranging from written warnings to dismissal, and possible referral to law enforcement.
Policies are shaped by national law — for example, Title VII of the U.S. Civil Rights Act of 1964 (as interpreted by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission), the EU Equal Treatment Directives, and the UK Equality Act 2010. At the international level, ILO Convention 190 (Violence and Harassment Convention, adopted 2019, in force 25 June 2021) is the first binding global instrument explicitly addressing violence and harassment in the world of work, and it requires ratifying states to adopt laws and policies, including employer-level measures.
For Model UN organizers and IR programs, codes of conduct often function as harassment policies, addressing delegate behavior at conferences. Researchers analyzing institutional culture should distinguish between policy text (what is written), procedural implementation (how complaints are handled in practice), and outcomes (substantiated cases, sanctions, attrition). Gaps between these layers are a common finding in audits of international organizations, including reviews conducted within several UN agencies.
Example
In 2019, the International Labour Organization adopted Convention 190, prompting employers worldwide — including several UN agencies — to revise their workplace harassment policies to expand definitions and reporting protections.
Frequently asked questions
In many jurisdictions, yes. U.S., EU, and UK employment law effectively require employers to have anti-harassment measures, and ILO Convention 190 obliges ratifying states to mandate them.
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