New Delhi: The women and child development ministry has directed all central ministries, department and PSUs to ensure effective implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 in their respective departments.
Women and child development secretary Ivender Pandey in a communication, reviewed by Mint, has requested all government offices to ensure that the internal committee at workplaces get constituted and are functional. Pandey further directed the internal committees to conduct special drive to review the pending cases and take appropriate action before 9 December, 2022. Union government on 9 December 2013 passed POSH Act to provide a safe and secure environment to working women
The Act upholds women’s fundamental right to equality, right to live with dignity which includes right to safe and secure working place environment free from all forms of violence.
“Kindly take necessary action to ensure effective implementation of the Sexual Harassment Act. It is also requested to ensure that internal committees (ICs) at work places are constituted (if not already constituted) and functional within your respective domain. The ICs may also be directed to special drive to review the pending cases and take appropriate action before 9th December 2022,” Pandey communicated in a letter to the all secretaries of the Central ministries adding that the report of this exercise to be submitted by 20th December 2022.
A survey done by the Women’s Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (WICCI) Council of Ethics in which 1,101 females participated found that approx. 50% of women experienced “physical contact or advances” or inappropriate touching at least once at the workplace.
Every year, 25 November is observed as the international day for the “Elimination of Violence against Women across the globe. Further 10 December is observed every year as International Human Rights Day.
