COMMITTEE AGAINST SEXUAL HARASSMENT    

Sexual Harassment at workplace is a violation of women’s right to gender equality, life and liberty. It creates an insecure and hostile work environment, which discourages women’s participation in work, thereby adversely affecting their economic empowerment and the goal of inclusive growth.

The Indian Parliament passed the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Bill in the Lok Sabha on 3rd September 2012 and Rajya Sabha on 26th February 2013. The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 was made effective on 23rd April 2013 by way of publication in the Gazette of India.

The Ministry of Women and Child Development has notified the Sexual Harassment at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (Act) and the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Rules, 2013 (Rules). As per the notification, the Act has come into force with effect from December 9, 2013.

WHAT CONSTITUTES SEXUAL HARASSMENT?

• Circumstances of promise (implied or explicit) of preferential treatment in employment;
• Threat of detrimental treatment in employment;
• Threat about employment (present or future);
• Creating an intimidating or offensive or hostile work environment, or interference with work for the above;
• Humiliating treatment that may affect the lady employee’s health or safety
• Unwelcome sexually determined behavior (whether directly or by implication) such as physical contact and advances,
• Demand or request for sexual favors, sexually colored remarks, showing pornography,
• Any other unwelcome physical verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature.

Objectives:

• To comply with the provisions of the Sexual Harassment at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (Act) and to develop and implement a policy against sexual harassment of women at the SPU.
• To uphold Women’s Right to Protection against Sexual Harassment and for the prevention and redressal of sexual harassment of women.
• To evolve a permanent mechanism for the prevention, prohibition and redressal of sexual harassment of women at SPU.
• To actively promote a social, physical and psychological environment that will raise awareness about and deter acts of sexual harassment of women.
• To undertake all necessary and reasonable steps including the constitution of appropriate committees for purposes of gender sensitization and to conduct enquiries into complaints of sexual harassment.