TRADE Unions have joined forces with a local textile firm, Hippo Knitting factory to eradicate Gender Based Violence (GBV) and harassment at that firm.

The two parties together with the Ministry of Labour and Employment on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at reforming the work environment at the factory.

Rise Africa, a local consultancy outfit will be responsible for the oversight implementation of the agreement.

The noble initiative was triggered by a plethora of media reports on GBV and harassment at the textile firm located in Ha Hoohlo, Maseru.

The parties have among others agreed to work together and have a corrective plan to deal with workers’ rights and unfair discrimination of employees.

They have also agreed to have a sustainable plan aimed at addressing all concerns constructively and ensuring that GBV as well as unfair discrimination incidents do not occur any more.

The pact will among others also ensure that workers’ rights are always respected and protected.

During the signature of the deal which was held in Maseru, the Managing Director of Hippo Knitting, To Chan said he had not been aware of the widespread GBV and harassment cases at his factory until they were reported in the local media.

He said he was legally obliged to rectify the mistakes taking place at the factory to ensure that every worker feels at home.

“The work environment has to be user-friendly at all times so that productivity soars for the betterment of the economic.

“If these problems are not solved urgently, that would not only impact negatively on the factory but on Lesotho as a whole,” Mr Chan said.

 He added: “The investors would start looking at Lesotho as a lawless country that is not good for business. I have great confidence in the success of the programme owing to the external monitoring by Rise Africa.”

Media reports had earlier shown that supervisors and human resources personnel at the firm sometimes sexually molest their colleagues in return for work related favours.

In the endorsed MoU, the factory has pledged to advocate for the safety of all its workers, condemning any acts of violence against them.

For his part, the Secretary General of the National Clothing Textile and Allied Workers Union (NACTWU), Samuel Mokhele said joining hands will help eradicate all the problems encountered.

“The programme is going to change the lives of the workers who are frustrated by the inhumane treatment they suffer at the hands of their colleagues,” he said, adding that similar indecent acts have been reported in other factories across the country.

Owing to the agreement, Mr Mokhele is assertive that Lesotho is going regain investors’ confidence.