Lok Sabha Question No. 964 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-03
Subject: Sexual Harassment at Workplace
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Jayadev Galla, Kunwar Danish Ali

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UN-STARRED QUESTION NO. 964

TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.12.2021

## SEXUAL HARASSMENT AT WORKPLACE

964.    SHRI JAYADEV GALLA: KUNWAR DANISH ALI:

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

- (a) the number of cases of sexual harassment of women at work place that come to the notice of the Government during the last five years and current year State/ UT-wise;
- (b) the number of Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) cases filed in the hospitals between April 2020 to May 2021, State/ UT-wise along with the percentage of these cases tried, acquitted and convicted;
- (c) the  status  of  implementation  of  sexual  harassment  at  workplace  act,  which includes hospital premises- the patients and attendants, in various Government and private hospitals;
- (d) the  Government  actions  on  National  Commission  for  Women's  review  and suggestions  on  sexual  harassment  at  workplace  act  in  2019  -  which  included removal  of  the  conciliation  clause,  increase  in  the  time  period  for  registering complaint, time bound decision etc.;
- (e) the  progress  by  the Group of  Ministers on  sexual harassment in reviewing the existing laws on sexual harassment; and
- (f) the details of measures being taken by the Government to protect women from sexual harassment at their place of work?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

- (a) to (c): The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) is collecting data regarding sexual  harassment  in  work/  Office  premises  (Section  354A  of  IPC) since  2017. NCPCB  reports available till the year 2020, are published on its website https://ncrb.gov.in.

The  Government  has  enacted  'The  Sexual  Harassment  of  Women  at  Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013' (SH Act) with the aims to provide safe and secure work environment to women irrespective of their work status. The Act entrusts  respective  'appropriate  Governments'  with  the  responsibility  of  monitoring implementation of the Act as well as for maintaining data on the number of cases filed and disposed of in respect of all cases of sexual harassment of women at workplace.

As per the Act, the Central Government is the appropriate Government only in relation to those workplaces which are established, owned, controlled or wholly or substantially financed by funds provided directly or indirectly by the Central Government or a Union Territory  Administration.  The  Ministry  of  Women  and  Child  Development  has,  from time to time, held meetings  with and  issued  advisories to all Ministries  and Departments of the Government of India to ensure compliance of the provisions of the SH Act as well as to ensure its proper implementation at all workplaces pertaining to them as defined in this Act. Besides, in relation to workplaces which are established, owned,  controlled  or  wholly  or  substantially  financed  by  funds  provided  directly  or indirectly  by  any  State  Government,  the  appropriate  Government  is  that  State Government.  In  relation to any  other workplace  falling within its territory, the appropriate Government is also that State Government. In light of that, the Ministry of Women and Child Development has also held meetings with and issued advisories to State Governments from time to time to ensure compliance of the provisions of the SH Act as well as to ensure its proper implementation at all workplaces pertaining to them.

(d)  to  (f):  The  Group  of  Ministers  (GoM)  constituted  by  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  to examine  the  legal  and  institutional  frameworks  to  deal  with  sexual  harassment  at workplace  has  submitted  its  Report.  The  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  has  issued  an advisory dated 12.12.2018 to all States / UTs for constitution of Internal Committees for prevention of sexual harassment at workplace. The Ministry of Women and Child Development, being nodal Ministry for welfare and development of women, also issues such advisories from time to time.

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