Why in news? The National Commission for Women (NCW) has asked all States to ensure strict implementation of the sexual harassment at workplace law by coaching centres and educational institutes

Highlights

• NCW has written to the Chief Secretaries to direct the authorities to ensure the strict implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013
• It has directed the authorities to conduct awareness programmes on the law among all stakeholders to ensure that cases of sexual harassment at work are reported responsibly and effectively.

About Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013

• The statute superseded the Vishaka Guidelines for Prevention Of Sexual Harassment (POSH) introduced by the Supreme Court (SC) of India.
• It covers students in schools and colleges as well as patients in hospitals, employers and local authorities will have to set up grievance committees to investigate all complaints

Major Features

• Act defines sexual harassment at the work place and creates a mechanism for redressal of complaints.
• Definition of “aggrieved woman”, will get protection under the Act is extremely wide to cover all women, irrespective of her age or employment status, whether in the organised or unorganised sectors, public or private and covers clients, customers and domestic workers as well.
• Inquiry process under the Act should be confidential and the Act lays down a penalty of Rs 5000 on the person who has breached confidentiality.
• Act requires employers to conduct education and sensitisation programmes and develop policies against sexual harassment, among other obligations

Penalty for Non-compliance

• Non-compliance with the provisions of the Act shall be punishable with a fine of up to 50,000.
• Repeated violations may lead to higher penalties and cancellation of licence or deregistration to conduct business

Complaints Committee:

• Internal Complaints Committee: employer is required to constitute an Internal Complaints Committee at each office or branch with 10 or more employees.
• Local Complaints Committee: The District Officer is required to constitute a Local Complaints Committee at each district, and if required at the block level.
• These Committees have the powers of civil courts for gathering evidence.
• Complaints Committees are required to provide for conciliation before initiating an inquiry, if requested by the complainant.

National Commission for Women

• Nature : Statutory body
• Establishment: 1992, as defined in the 1990 National Commission for Women Act.
• Current Chairperson : Rekha Sharma.
• Monthly Newsletter: Rashtra Mahila, in both Hindi and English.

Objective

• To represent the rights of women in India and to provide a voice for their issues and concern
• The subjects of their campaigns have included dowry, politics, religion, equal representation for women in jobs, and the exploitation of women for labour.