Harmful Traditional Practices in the Workplace – New Zealand context: Guidance for Best Practice.

Abstract

Organisations have become increasingly aware that their staff, and the people who use their services, are multidimensional. Employees and service-users bring to an organisation their skills and abilities as well as their personal relationships and problems. For employers to address harmful traditional practices (HTPs), an important first step is to understand what these are, why they take place, and who is affected. For instance, it is important to know that worldwide, every social grouping has specific traditional practices, often spanning generations, that reflect the values and beliefs held by members of a community. While some
are beneficial, others are harmful. The term HTPs is used to describe specific forms of abuse committed primarily against girls and women.

However, HTPs occur across all sexes, sexual identities, and genders, and are not unique to any one culture, country, or religion.
Honour Abuse Research Matrix (HARM) is an international consortium of researchers, practitioners, policy makers and support agencies, working to research and pioneer strategies to eliminate harmful practices, including ‘honour’ abuse, forced marriage, and female genital mutilation (FGM). HARM, UK version was funded by Research England to produce this jargon free, evidence-based, workplace guidance for best practice so organisations and their employees feel motivated, confident, and empowered to respond appropriately when they suspect or encounter HTPs