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9. Feb. 2023
All over the world, people are celebrating the 8th annual International Day for Women and Girls in Science. This year, we decided to dedicate this day to the crucial and current topic of building a safe and respectful workplace. We would like to use the opportunity of this day and point out the need for creating a safe and respectful environment for everyone regardless of gender, nationality, age or sexual orientation.
You might have noticed a very disturbing case of long-term sexual harassment practices that are being investigated at the Faculty of Education at Masaryk University. We would like to state that sexual harassment and bullying are intolerable practices that do not belong to our workplace. We shall not tolerate any form of sexual harassment. We strive for #SafeAcademia!
Prevention
CEITEC and Masaryk University are committed to creating a friendly, transparent and safe working environment for all students and employees. Prevention and cultivation of a safe and respectful environment are key. Masaryk University has created a prevention system and guidelines for resolving sexual harassment incidents at MU in collaboration with experts active in this field.
The guidelines clearly define what sexual harassment is and how to behave if you ever become a victim or a bystander. There are specially trained contact persons available at MU Students’ Advisory Services, contact persons from individual faculties and a contact person from amongst the members of the Student Chamber of the Academic Senate. The complainant can freely choose the contact person to turn to. A website dedicated to the prevention of sexual harassment consolidates all the essential information you need to know.
Another important prevention measure is raising awareness about sexual harassment and bullying and offering relevant courses. A series of workshops titled Respect Until the Roof (Respekt až na půdu) in Czech as well as in the English language were organised and offered to all employees last year and will be repeated regularly. This workshop was designed by experts and tailored for the academic environment. Moreover, CEITEC is regularly organising courses preventing unconscious bias as well as courses that teach and promote proper reactions of active bystanders witnessing an unfair situation.
Support a Safe and Respectful Environment
Everyone can help to build a safe and respectful environment at CEITEC. Treat people with courtesy, politeness, and kindness. Never insult, use name-calling, disparage, or belittle people or their ideas. Do not judge, demean, or patronize your colleagues and students. A series of seemingly trivial actions added up over time constitutes bullying. Be aware of your body language, tone of voice, and your behaviour and expression in all of your interactions at work. People hear what you're really saying in addition to listening to your words. Treat colleagues fairly and equally. Treating people differently can constitute harassment, discrimination, or a hostile work environment. Provide an equal opportunity for everyone and become an active bystander in situations of bullying or sexual harassment.
CEITEC MU as a Lighthouse for Gender Equality in Science
CEITEC is a proud holder of HR Excellence in Research Award and a promoter of equal opportunities and diversity.
