JCM was notified of a GBVH (Gender-Based Violence and Harassment) allegation in 2020 and took immediate steps to address the issue. Firstly, JCM partnered with a specialist external GBVH consultant who undertook a rapid assessment of the situation to obtain clarity around the issue. Thereafter, a permanent Gender Inclusion Specialist, Grace Kaonga, was appointed to implement Salima’s Gender Action Plan.
Grace has extensive experience in human rights, as well as in working in multicultural and cross-cultural work environments. Her professional experience includes working as a Gender and Women Human Rights Officer at the Malawi Human Rights Commission, where she played a critical part in the development of the Gender Equality Act Implementation and Monitoring Plan between 2016 and 2020.
In 2021, Grace completed a Certificate of Excellence: Regulation for SDG 7 from the Enel Foundation, as well as obtained a certificate for the Re-skilling Lab – Introduction to the Value Chain of the Renewable Energy Decentralized Systems from the Micro-grid Academy. She is currently doing an MSc in Energy Policy at the University of Sussex and is also a Mentee for Women in Renewable Energy in Africa through the Global Women’s Network for the Energy Transition (GWNET) and the IFC.