Bhubaneswar: The National Commission for Women (NCW) Wednesday underscored the need for proper training for committee members for effective enforcement and capacity-building initiatives to prevent sexual harassment of women at workplace.
NCW chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar said this while reviewing the implementation of the ‘Prevention of Sexual Harassment at Workplace Act’ (POSH Act) in the state. The meeting was held in collaboration with the ministry of women and child development and the NCW.
Rahatkar said working women can balance both their homes and jobs effectively, as long as they are provided with a safe and respectful workplace.
She stressed that sexual harassment can only be prevented through the proper implementation of the POSH Act and widespread public awareness about it.
The POSH Act, officially known as the ‘Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013,’ is designed to protect women from sexual harassment at work and provides a structured mechanism to address such complaints.
Rahatkar emphasised the formation of internal committees in workplaces and regional committees in every district of the state. She also proposed organising training programmes for committee members and called for greater public awareness of the law through advertisements and hoardings in public spaces.
Clarifying that the law aims to prevent injustice and is not against men, Rahatkar said those found guilty of harassment should face strict punishment under the law.
In a post on X, NCW highlighted the recent seminar on anti-human trafficking held in Odisha, where Rahatkar addressed key aspects of the issue, including its concepts, dimensions, and prevention strategies such as awareness campaigns and community engagement.
The meeting was attended by Odisha’s women and child development department principal secretary Shubha Sharma, IG S Saini, divisional director Monisha Banerjee, and senior officers of various departments and nodal officers from the state government.
PTI
