Bhubaneswar: In a significant move to ensure safer and more inclusive workplaces, Chief Secretary Shri Manoj Ahuja, today issued stringent directives to all government departments and institutions, emphasizing strict compliance with the provisions of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act).
In a comprehensive letter addressed to Additional Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, Commissioner-cum-Secretaries, Revenue Divisional Commissioners (RDCs), and District Magistrates & Collectors, the Chief Secretary highlighted that effective implementation of the POSH Act is crucial for fostering a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment, especially for women.
He underscored that sexual harassment not only infringes upon an individual’s dignity and rights but also negatively impacts productivity, morale, and equal opportunities.
Shri Ahuja stressed that enforcing the POSH Act fulfills organizations’ legal and ethical responsibilities to prevent, prohibit, and address instances of harassment, thereby cultivating a culture of accountability, encouraging fear-free reporting, and building trust among employees and members.
The directive draws attention to several critical provisions of the POSH Act that require immediate and priority compliance:
- Constitution of Internal Committee (IC): Section 4 mandates that every institution employing ten or more persons must establish an IC for prompt receipt and redressal of sexual harassment complaints.
- Capacity Building and Sensitization: Section 19 obligates employers, including heads of educational institutions, to conduct regular awareness and orientation programs for staff and students on the Act’s provisions and redressal mechanisms.
- Time-bound Inquiry and Redressal: Sections 9 and 11 outline procedures for timely complaint filing and inquiry. Capacity building for IC members and presiding officers is implicit.
- Annual Reporting and Transparency: Institutions are required to maintain complaint records and submit annual reports on their disposal status to the authorities.
- Responsibility of Management: The head of the institution bears personal responsibility for the effective implementation of the POSH Act, as well as for any lapses in safeguarding complainants and preventing retaliation.
To ensure prioritized action, administrative heads have been directed to:
- Constitute/Revalidate ICs: Ensure immediate establishment or revalidation of ICs in all colleges, universities, training centers, and relevant institutions.
- Monthly IC Meetings: Mandate IC meetings once a month for the next six months to build awareness against sexual harassment in educational institutions, followed by quarterly meetings as per the Act.
- Prominent Redressal Mechanism Display: Ensure grievance redressal mechanisms, such as the She-Box portal, and IC details are prominently displayed in multiple locations.
- Periodic Capacity-Building: Mandate regular awareness and capacity-building sessions for all staff and students.
- Monitoring and Compliance: Monitor and enforce compliance through regular inspections and require institutions to submit status reports. Senior district officials are also directed to visit educational institutions and interact with students.
- Accountability: Hold heads of institutions accountable for non-compliance or negligence in addressing complaints.
- SHe-Box Portal Utilization: Ensure all necessary details and reports are promptly uploaded to the She-Box Portal, and widely disseminate information about its complaint lodging facility.
The State Government is steadfast in its commitment to ensuring the safety, dignity, and empowerment of women in all educational and professional environments. District Administrations are expected to act with urgency and diligence to create a safe environment for girls and women and uphold the law’s provisions in both letter and spirit.
Chief Secretary Shri Ahuja has urged all Additional Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, and Commissioner-cum-Secretaries to regularly review the implementation of these directives within their departments and under their administrative control, and to ensure compliance during their field visits to educational institutions. A compliance report on these action points is to be submitted to the Department of Women and Child Development within 15 days.