Govt to form panel for sexual harassment cases at workplaces

New Delhi, July 26: Delhi women and child Development Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam on Sunday directed his department to form a fivemember committee to prevent sexual harassment of women at workplaces in the national capital.

Such a committee will include members from the government, NGOs and civil society, a statement from the Delhi government said. The decision was taken after the minister chaired a review meeting on implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) (SHWW) Act , 2013.

The meeting was attended by senior officers of the department of women and child development.

“Gautam directed the department of women and child development to constitute a five-member committee to overview and monitor the SHWW (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 and the composition may include some representatives from government, NGO sector and civil society,” the statement said. “The minister also instructed that a meeting should be convened through video conferencing with government department heads, in the first phase, in order to have an interface regarding implementation of the Act in their respective departments,” it said.

The department was also directed to ensure the issuance of advertisements, in the form of display and text notices, for creating awareness among citizens along with all government and private sector entities on the provisions, facilitations and penalty clauses of the Act.

For this, the department of women and child development has organised several workshops along with media campaigns. It has also issued necessary instructions on regular intervals to all departments of the city government, autonomous bodies and private sector companies for constitution of internal committees.

◗ THE DECISION was taken after the minister chaired a review meeting on implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013