Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act, 2013

Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act, 2013
 

News: This article is in continuation of POSH Act, 2013 covered on 6th May 2023 and focusses on issues of the act as highlighted by Supreme Court.
 

Key issues:
 Questions pertaining regarding whom to approach in case of sexual harassment at the workplace.
 A hostile and insensitive approach towards women employees at workplace hampers the success of the Act.
 Lack of confidence in the process and outcome of POSH act prevent women from reporting misconduct happening at workplace.
 Failure of over 50% of national sports federations in the country to constitute Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) mandated under the 2013 Act raises more questions than answers over implementation of the act.
 Inquiries carried out in a hurry.
 

Key recommendations:
 The Union, States, and UTs have been directed by SC to undertake a time-bound (8 weeks) exercise to verify whether Ministries, Departments, government organizations had constituted Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs), Local Committees(LCs), and Internal Committees(ICs) under the Act.
 The bodies were ordered to publish the details of their respective committees on their websites
 Earlier, the National Commission for Women (NCW) had asked all states to ensure that coaching centers and educational institutes strictly enforce the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.
Source – The Hindu