Lok Sabha Question No. 1867 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-21
Subject: Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: JAGDAMBIKA PAL, ANURAG SINGH THAKUR, BHEEMRAO BASWANTHRAO PATIL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 1867

TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.12.2018

## SEXUAL HARASSMENT OF WOMEN AT WORKPLACE

1867.  SHRI JAGDAMBIKA PAL: SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR: SHRI BHEEMRAO B. PATIL:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  taken  cognizance  of  the  growing  number  of  cases  of  sexual harassment of women at workplace and other areas and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government is working on micro level particularly in cities and IT parks to conduct Awareness programmes to combat gender based violence like sexual harassment, molestation, stalking and cyber abuse and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether the Government proposes to amend the sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention,  Prohibition  and  Redressal)  Act,  2013  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  reasons therefor; and
- (d) the other measures taken by the Government to ensure the safety and well being of women at workplace?

## ANSWER

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

- (a):          Safety  and  security  of  women  in  the  country  is  of  utmost  priority  for  the  Government.  The Government  of  India  enacted  the  Sexual  Harassment  of  Women  at  Workplace  (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 which aims to provide safe and secure work environment to  women.  The  Act  covers  all  women,  irrespective  of  their  age  or  employment  status  and provides protection against sexual harassment at all workplaces. In addition existing provisions of Indian Penal Code (IPC) are also applicable to various offences of sexual harassment.
- (b): Ministry  of  Women  and  Child  Development  has  regularly  campaigned  through  audio/video spots in national and regional media, FM channels, cinema etc for enhancing awareness about various  legislations  including  the  Sexual  Harassment  of  Women  at  Workplace  (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.

Ministry of Home Affairs also issues advisories from time to time to the States/UTs to take  concrete  steps  to  increase  awareness  in  administration  and  in  police  in  particular  on legislations  and  for  putting  in  place  mechanisms  for  safety  and  protection  of  women. States/UTs have also been advised to undertake extensive training programmes, especially for law enforcement personnel, in this regard.

- (c) & (d): The Government of India vide its order dated 24 th  October, 2018 has constituted a Group of  Ministers  (GoM)  to  examine  and  give  recommendations  for  strengthening  the  legal  and institutional frameworks to deal with and prevent sexual harassment at workplace.

The  Ministry  has  developed  an  online  complaint  management  system  titled  Sexual Harassment electronic-Box (SHe-Box) for lodging of complaints by women in relation to sexual harassment at workplace.

Further,  all  Ministries  of  Government  of  India  and  State/UT  government  have  been requested to organize workshops and awareness programmes in their Departments/Offices for sensitizing employees about matter related to sexual harassment at workplace and related to legal provisions and redressal mechanisms. Besides, all State/UT governments have also been requested  to  advise  their  Secretaries  of  Industries  and  Commerce  departments  to  get organized similar workshops and awareness programmes in industries, business houses and private sector entities in the States/UTs.

Ministry  of  Women  and  Child  Development  issues  advisories  from  time  to  time  to  all State  Governments/UT  Administrations,  Ministries/Departments  of  Government  of  India  and leading business associations including Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), National Association of Software and  Services Companies (NASSCOM) etc., to ensure effective implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.

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

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