In Ghana, a young graduate prints her Curriculum Vitae (CV) with hope, only to hear "come and see me privately" behind a desk.
Sex for jobs is not just an abuse of power; it is a theft of dignity.
For many young women, the job search becomes a painful choice between survival and self-respect.
Years of schooling, national service, endless applications, then a door that only opens if you compromise your body.
It is disheartening because it tells you your brain is not enough. It kills confidence, breeds anxiety and silences talent.
A nation cannot grow when its youth must pay with their bodies to earn a living.
Conference
To help confront this debacle, the Ark Foundation, Ghana, will convene a national conference on Thursday, November 5, 2026, on sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse in the country's workplaces and schools on the theme "Promoting Accountability, Safe Workplaces and a Culture of Integrity."
The gathering will bring together leaders from government, parliament, the judiciary and constitutional bodies, alongside representatives of academia, civil society, faith-based organisations, traditional authorities, the private sector and the media.
According to the Executive Director of the Foundation, Angela Dwamena Aboagye, the aim was to tackle one of the most entrenched barriers to equal opportunity and decent work in employment and education spaces.
At the centre of the discussions is the practice commonly described as "sex for jobs" or "sex for grades, and she says this is not merely an individual violation but a systemic abuse of power that undermines institutional integrity, productivity and national development, adding that victims are denied fair access to opportunities, while workplaces and schools lose credibility and talent.
National Dialogue
The conference, she says, is expected to promote national dialogue on harassment and exploitation across workplaces, schools and recruitment processes, and will seek to strengthen accountability systems in both public and private institutions, with participants expected to share best practices from the country and beyond on prevention, reporting and survivor-centred responses.
The conference, she said, was expected to help encourage the adoption of safeguarding policies that foster safe, respectful and inclusive environments.
Critical issues
Several critical issues are set to be addressed. Chief among them is the abuse of authority in recruitment, promotions and internships, which organisers describe as a silent epidemic. Weak reporting systems also feature prominently, as survivors often face retaliation, stigma or disbelief that discourages them from speaking out.
Other concerns include the absence of clear safeguarding policies or enforcement mechanisms in many workplaces and schools, and the cultural normalisation of harassment.
According to her, harmful social attitudes frequently trivialise such conduct, perpetuating silence and impunity, adding that linking sexual favours to employment opportunities entrenches inequality and deepens poverty.
Policy reforms
The conference, she said, was expected to catalyse policy reforms, institutional safeguards and cultural change by engaging leaders across sectors, and hopes to elevate survivor-centred approaches in workplace and educational policies, inspire employers to embed integrity and accountability into organisational culture, and strengthen collaboration among government, civil society and international partners.
She described the initiative as more than a conference, calling it a call to action, saying that “addressing sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse is not only about protecting individuals but about safeguarding the country's future, ensuring that workplaces and schools become spaces of fairness, respect and opportunity”.
Mrs Aboagye added that “the conference is also expected to produce practical recommendations to inform legislation and institutional reforms, signalling a national commitment to ending exploitative practices that erode trust and dignity.”
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