Prevention of Sexual Harrassement

The Ministry of Law & Justice has passed the Act on 22nd April 2013. The Rules were passed on 9th December 2013.

The Act in its Section 2n, defines sexual harassment. Sexual harassment includes anyone or more of the following unwelcome acts or behaviour (whether directly or byimplication), namely

• Physical contact and advances, or
• A demand or request for sexual favours, or
• Making sexually coloured remarks, or
• Showing pornography, or
• Any other unwelcome physical, verbal, non verbal conduct of sexual nature

Section 3 (2) of the Act further elaborates that if any of the following circumstancesoccurs or is present in relation to or connected with any act or behavior of sexualharassment among other circumstances, it may amount to sexual harassment-

• Implied or explicit promise of preferential treatment in her employment, or
• Implied or explicit threat of detrimental treatment in her employment, or
• Implied or explicit threat about her present or future employment status, or
• Interference with her work or creating an intimidating or offensive or hostile work environment for her, or
• Humiliating treatment likely to affect her health or safety.

Composition

Prevention of sexual harassment of women at institute committee

Duties/Responsibilities/ Activities of the committee

• To address to the issues related to the sexual harassment and victimization of students & employee.
• Discussion on policy making/ Framing.

Girl’s students and Women are working on the various positions in the college. They need to work with dignity in safe and protected environment. Women Grievance cell of SVKM’s Institute of Pharmacy is formulated and working for the same.

Objectives

• Safe and protected environment to Girls students and Female faculty-members
• Resolve the grievances/problems of Girls students and Female faculty-members
• Awareness of Girls students and Female faculty-members by conducting seminars, workshops etc.
• Counselling of girl students

Functions

• To protect girl-students against any type of harassment (i.e. sexual, psychological) and take suitable actions as stated below
• To submit the inquiry committee report to chairperson if required.
• To organize workshops, seminars and guest-lectures by experts in various fields (Health professionals, lawyers, social activists etc.) related to women’s.

The committee members are selected form the teaching/non-teaching staff members and with the regular meeting held the following procedure is framed.

• The Victim will report in written letter about their Grievance to any of the committee members.
• Then the member who have been informed about the problem will report to all the other members of the committee.
• A meeting will be held with all the committee members to discuss over the issue reported.
• Then the victim and the suspect will be called by the committee members and the matter will be herd in detail form both the ends separately.
• Then again a meeting will be held to discuss the issues with the point of view of both the person to take a proper action.
• Members will decide that the suspect or the victim needs counselling or not.
• Whether the suspect is really found guilty or not, and is there any scope of improvement.
• Than if found guilty, a written letter will be taken from the person who is proved guilty saying that what he have committed.
• Family members of the person found guilty will be called to discuss their issues.
• A view of the student will be taken in presence of his/her family members before giving any punishment.
• The issues and the name of the persons (Victim or Suspect) will not be revealed by the committee members to any other person.

Mechanism