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Employers demand sex for jobs, say graduates
Achievers. Graduates during a graduation ceremony at Makerere University in January. A section of them have complained of sexual harassment when it comes to job hunting. PHOTO BY RACHEL MABALA
What you need to know:
- Complaint. Female graduates accuse some employers of demanding sex before offering jobs while others claim they are being harassed at work place.
GULU. Some graduates have disclosed that they are having difficulties in accessing employment because their potential employers demand sex in exchange for jobs.
The accusations surfaced at an inter-generation dialogue held at Lira District Council Hall last Friday.
Others accused their employers of harassing them at workplace.
Ms Collin Adongo, 22, who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration from Makerere University, said she had given up searching for a job because of unwarranted demands by employers.
“I have been asked for sex on three different occasions, with the latest being in February this year by one of the top officials of a public university in Lira,” she said.
She added: “Those bosses, who are holding public offices, normally ask ladies to apply for jobs and later demand for sex.”
Ms Judith Akello, also a graduate accused elders of pulling down young people, who they see as a threat to their positions.
“A youth is rising up to be a great leader in future but a leader who is already at a high position is planning to suppress. He sees the youth as a threat to his position and yet this leader is already old enough to leave the position,” Ms Akello said.
The former LC5 chairperson of Otuke District, Mr Benson Ogwang Ogoo, said jealousness is the main factor retarding development in Lango sub-region.
Mr Joe Olang, the Bako clan leader, stressed that there is need by young people to change their attitude if they want to become useful people.
He further accused the youth of lacking respect for their elders.
“The only productive youth we have are those living in rural areas, those in trading centres spend much of their time drinking sachet waragi, while those in towns and cities spend their time on social media,” he said.
The Lira District senior medical officer, Dr Isaac Orech, urged the youth to stop blaming their misfortune on poverty and embrace people who have made achievements because they were determined.
The executive director of Global Forum for Development, Mr Morris Chris Ongom, said Lango and Africa must embark on building successful leaders, who are ready to conquer themselves.
He urged the youth to become constructive and plan for their future. Mr Ongom warned the youth that some elderly people are suffering because they did not prepare for the future.
Unemployment rate
In 2016, the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) revealed that 90 per cent of Ugandans under 25 years of age were unemployed and 58 per cent of total population unemployed. Whereas it had dropped from 5.9 per cent in 2010 to 2.7 per cent in 2013 and 2014, it rose to 2.71 per cent in 2015, 2.82 in 2016 and 2.91 per cent in 2017.
The overall unemployment rate was 9.2 per cent in 2016/17 with the females experiencing higher unemployment rate (13 per cent) than males (6 per cent).
