“The meaning and content of the fundamental rights guaranteed in the Constitution of India are of sufficient amplitudes to encompass all facets of gender equality…” ~ Late Chief Justice J.S. Verma, Supreme Court of India, Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan.
This is a TWO DAY WORKSHOP ON SEXUAL HARASSMENT OF WOMEN AT WORKPLACE (PREVENTION, PROHIBITION AND REDRESSAL) ACT, 2013. Jerry provides holistic consulting and advice on the Sexual Harassment Policy (SHP). Besides creating a policy and forming a panel, there is also a need to sensitize and create awareness about the SHP and the law around the SHP as even using foul language in a offsite or dinner party, can tantamount to Sexual Harassment today. He has customized the SHP training content that is applicable to the Indian SHP act and Jerry brings to life REAL LIVE CASE STUDIES OF HOW cases are happening in MNC and Home Grown companies based on first person encounters and real time CASELETS.
Aim:
To equip the corporate executives with knowledge, consciousness and awareness on the subject to prevent sexual harassment and develop in them professional competence for prevention and implementation of the statute i.e. the Sexual Harassment of Women at the Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.
Objective:
Participants will be able to list out / describe / define:
- Gender Issues
- Gender Discrimination
- Sexual Harassment
- Workplace
- Related Judicial Pronouncements
- Recommendations of Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee
- Constitution of Internal Complaints Committee (ICC)
- Duties and Roles of ICC Presiding Officer / Member
- Third Party Harassment
- Role of an Employer
- Preventive Policies (organization)
- Organizational Best Practices
- Conduct and Service Rules
- Steps to Conduct Inquiry
- Fundamental Rights and Duties
- Renounce Practices Derogatory to the Dignity of Women
- Global Anti Sexual Harassment Policies
- How POSH was developed and progressed in India (A brief History)
- Real Life Case stories from Organisations across India where Jerry consults, counsels and mentors victims (male and female).
THe Steps Are
Training- We do this with an indigenous PPT and VIDEO presentation and real examples of how SHP works with case studies where we have intervened in several organisations to ensure fair and fearless justice.
Awareness- Sharing the POLICY and the GAZETTE with all employees over email.
Sensitisation- LIVE case studies of how SHG issues have affected employers and employees
Adherence- Ensuring that everyone reads it and understands it.
Commitment-Checklist with a pledge to adhere to policy.
Empowerment-Open communication to each and all to reach out without any fear or hesitation to record evidence with panel in case of any misdeeds.
Fairness-To ensure that no one misused the SHP for petty office politics.
Takeaways
All organisations should ideally have a written sexual harassment policy.
Organisations should constantly check and update existing policies on sexual harassment based on the new Sexual Harassment Prevention Act, 2013. The policy should ideally be drafted or atleast vetted by a lawyer. The policy should ideally mention the following:
- Sexual harassment in workplace is unlawful and prohibited under the law
- Sexual harassment is prohibited in the organisation
- A clear complaint filing mechanism
- Consequences of engaging in sexual harassment
- Clear reference to the applicable laws.
If the organisation is a MNC, a global training module might not be adequate, it is essential to have a training module which complies with the applicable laws in India.
All new employees should be made aware about the sexual harassment policy of the organisation during the induction program. Moreover, it is necessary to conduct periodical sexual harassment awareness workshops or training sessions.
All managers and supervisors should be instructed to keep a vigil in the workplace and report any untoward incident to the management at the earliest.
All complaints of sexual harassment should be treated carefully and with full seriousness by the management. It is essential to have people who are trained to handle such cases.