The Royal Civil Service Commission instituted “Go to Person” (GtP) on July 3 to help civil servants report incidences related to sexual harassment at the workplace.

The initiative is aimed to clear performance hindrances by providing an avenue for the civil servants to raise their issues and concerns.

While other issues like conflicts at work place, all forms of discrimination, drugs and alcohol influences are dealt by help desk or by the civil service support desk, GtP is confined to the grievances related to sexual harassment at the workplace.

Two HR officials currently administer the GtP support desk.

The civil service support desk received 24 cases related to alcohol and drugs, two incidences of mental health, and two related to women in difficult circumstances since the desk was started in 2015.

“Although the issues related to sexual harassment was not reported to the desk, we feel that people are not aware about sexual harassment,” said Sherab Zangpo, who would be looking after GtP. “Realizing the importance of awareness on the issue, a sensitization on sexual harassment was conducted.”

He added that RCSC came up with GtP to reduce the confusion among people while planning to report the incidence to the right authority. “The support desk would help the person reach to the right person at the earliest stage,” said Sherab Zangpo.

GtP is the part of civil service wellbeing programme that was initiated as part of five reforms under wellbeing services. The civil service wellbeing services cater to two distinct phases of active duty tenure and after retirement of civil servants.

Civil service support desk, exit management and civil servants welfare schemes are some of the wellbeing services instituted at RCSC.

GtP initiative is confined to the civil servants working at the central level and the support services.  The issues related to  sexual harassment issues at the respective parent agencies will be look after by internal framework designed to monitor the issues and also by women and children committee.

“With the establishment of support services we want to study the issue and facilitate with required supports to enhance civil servants performances,” Sherab Zangpo said.

GtP is expected to address disciplinary and other issues at an early stage.

Nima