National Commission for Women Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar has pressed for effective implementation of the POSH Act and called for greater awareness in the private sector, saying Internal Committees must function in a way that gives women confidence to come forward with complaints.
Speaking to PTI in an interview, Rahatkar described the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 as a comprehensive piece of legislation but one that needs sharper execution on the ground.
“The POSH Act is a very comprehensive law. I would say it is like an umbrella over women’s heads, protecting them from sexual harassment. However, what is required now is effective implementation of the law on the ground and people must be made aware of the law,” Rahatkar said.
The NCW chief said Internal Committees had been constituted in nearly all government organisations, but reach into the private sector remained uneven. “Even today, there is not enough awareness about this law in the private sector. While committees are certainly being constituted, many organisations are not fully aware of how these committees are supposed to function and discharge their responsibilities,” she said.
Rahatkar underlined that Internal Committees must create an environment where women can file complaints without fear, and must examine cases in a time-bound manner without bias. She pointed to the SHe-Box portal run by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, under which every organisation employing 10 or more people is required to constitute an Internal Committee and upload details of its establishment, committee composition, complaints received and pending cases.
The Commission has undertaken extensive outreach on the POSH Act over the past nearly two years, reaching colleges, schools, private organisations and government institutions. The NCW also carried out regional consultations at eight locations across the country and a national-level consultation in Delhi this year, and has worked with state women’s commissions to coordinate training.
“I believe awareness about this law has improved considerably, but we still need to continue working on this for some more time,” Rahatkar said, adding that the NCW remains committed to effective implementation of the legislation. The comments come months after the NCW issued a nationwide advisory calling for mandatory POSH audits and dedicated monitoring cells in all workplaces.
