IOM - Internal campaign to prevent sexual harassment
Challenge: The UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) wanted to do more to tackle sexual harassment happening between staff, globally. So, they embarked on a journey to learn more about the sexual harassment happening at IOM. And to use this knowledge to develop recommendations for better prevention and response.We were tasked with the development of a communications campaign to help prevent it.
Method
I led the strategy team through a three-stage process - Inspiration, Ideation, Implementation - to diagnose some of the behavioural barriers to change and develop a strategy for communications. It included a literature review, expert interviews, trauma-informed interviews with members of staff affected, focus groups, ideation workshops and an online panel with 60 staff, for testing creative concepts. We used the COM-B model to identify the most pertinent barriers and drivers of change.
Key Insight
The biggest barrier to tackle was that staff did not have a shared understanding of sexual harassment. Particularly the seemingly innocuous but most pervasive types of harassment - often spoke of as base of the iceberg behaviours. They pave the way and enable to more serious behaviours.
The second barrier for comms to tackle was that bystanders are unwittingly enabling a culture where sexual harassment can thrive, because they did not believe it was their responsibility to stop it.
You don’t have to be a harasser to enable harassment.
Strategy
To change staff behaviour, we needed them to first learn how to recognise it. So there is a common frame for what is and isn’t ok. We also needed to equip staff with a reason and the know-how to tackle the less extreme, common types of harassment. Striking a tone that does not feel like a witch-hunt (which is proven not to work), and enabling male bystanders to become allies. To turn more bystanders into upstanders.
Execution
I developed a bystander campaign strategy, strategy manifesto and internal channel mix recommendations. We briefed creatives to develop the visual and verbal campaign platform, posters, digital assets, as well as a series of internal activation ideas e.g. comic, quiz and exhibition.
