Lok Sabha Question No. 1679 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-07-27
Subject: Compliance of Sexual Harassment at Work Place Act
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: SHOBHA KARANDLAJE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1679

TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.07.2018

## COMPLIANCE OF SEXUAL HARASSMENTAT WORK PLACE ACT

## 1679.  KUMARI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE:

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Supreme Court has asked the Government to deliberate upon the suggestions of NGOs to ensure compliance of the law on Prevention of Sexual Harassment at Work Places and if so, the details thereof along with thereaction of the Government thereto;
- (b) whether  there  is  no  avenue,  both  in  organised  and  unorganisd  sectors,  for  women  who experience sexual harassmentat work places to lodge their complaints and seek redressal and if so, the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (c) whether it is a fact that very little progress has been made by the States to implement the provisions of the Act;
- (d) if so, the reasons for not notifying district officers and setting up of nodal agencies as well as redressal mechanismsat the district level by many States and UTs; and
- (e) the steps taken to eradicate sexual harassment at work places and to create an enabling, safe and secure workingenvironment for women?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (DR. VIRENDRA KUMAR)

- (a): The Hon'ble Supreme courtvide order dated 19 th April,  2018advised  for  deliberation  on the suggestion given by the Initiatives for Inclusion Foundation which includes issuing of advisories to Ministries/Departments and States etc. An affidavit has already been filed on the matter on 3 rd May, 2018.
- (b)      to  (e)  :  The  Sexual  Harassment  of  Women  at  Workplace  (Prevention,  Prohibition  and Redressal) Act, 2013 came into force on 9 th December 2013. The Act covers all women, irrespective of their age or employment status and protects them against sexual harassment at all workplaces both in public and private sector, whether organized or unorganized. The Act  mandates  all  the  workplace  having  more  than  10  workers  to  constitute  Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) for receiving complaints of sexual harassment. Similarly, the Appropriate Government is authorized to constitute Local Complaint Committee (LCC) in every  district  which  will  receive  complaints  from  organizations  having  less  than  10 workers or if the complaint is against the employer himself.

So  far,  29  States/UTs  have  notified  District  Officers  and  constituted  Local Complaint Committee under Sexual Harassment at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.

Ministry  of  Women  and  Child  Development  issues  advisories  from  time  to  timeto  all States/UTs  Government, Ministries/Departments  in  Government  of  India  and  leading  business organisation Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), Federation of  Indian  Chambers  of  Commerce  and  Industry  (FICCI),  Confederation  of  Indian  Society, Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CCI), and National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM)to ensure effective implementation of the Act.

Further,  all  Ministries/Departments  of  Government  of  India  and  States/UTs  have  been requested  to  organize  workshops  and  awareness  programmes  in  their  Departments/Offices  for sensitizing  the  employees  about  the  provision  of  this  Act.Besides,all  States/UTs  Governments have  also  been  requested  to  advise  the  Secretary  Industries/Commerce  to  organize  similar workshops and awareness programmes each and every industry, business house, private sector entity of the States/UTs.

The  Ministry  has  launched  an  online  complaint  management  system  titled  Sexual Harassment electronic-Box (SHe-Box) for registering complaints related to sexual harassment at workplace of all women employees in the country, including government and private employees.

Apart from the above, in order to create wide spread awareness about the Act across the country, both in organized and unorganized sectors, Ministry of Women and Child Development has  identified  a  pool  of  223Resource  Institutionsto  provide  capacity  building  programmes  i.e. training, workshops, etc., on the issue of sexual harassment at workplace.

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