'All formal institutions,orgs have to form internal panels under Sexual Harassment at Workplace Act'

The Delhi government Monday decided that all formal institutions and organisations in the city will have to form their Internal Committees (IC) by November 31 under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.

According to the government, failure in forming these committees will attract punitive action against such institutions.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia Monday reviewed the status, challenges and improvement of the implementation of this Act in all 11 districts of Delhi. Eight out of the 11 districts have formed the local-level committees in their districts.

The Act makes it mandatory for government, private and non-government formal establishments to form Internal Committee (IC) wherever there are more than 10 employees, the government said in a statement.

"It was decided that by November 31 this year all formal institutions and organisations will be mandated to form their Internal Committees and need to avail the certificate from the District Office, failing which punitive action will be taken against such institutions," government said in statement.

It stated that for the informal sector, such as domestic workers, open markets, in case of any harassment faced by a woman, a Local Committee (LC) at district level with a nodal officer in-charge to address the complaint.

Sisodia said that the Act is "very effective" and everyone must use it in both letter and spirit to make it workable. These Local Committees can play an important role in the implementation of this Act.

"It is our top concern to provide a safe work environment for Delhi's women," the deputy chief minister said.

Sisodia, who also heads the Women and Child Development Department, has ordered district magistrates to provide space to these local committees from where they can function.

He expressed concern that despite the existence of this provision, there is no awareness among the informal sector women workers about it.

The Delhi government has decided to launch a mass-scale awareness campaign for the same. This would include using the mediums of radio, TV, cinema halls, Delhi Metro so that informal sector workers as well as formal institutions are aware of this act and their rights. This awareness campaign will run for over two months.

The statement stated that the WCD had on February 17, 2016, passed an order by which all DMs were assigned the role of district officer to exercise the powers and discharge the functions under this Act in the National Capital of Territory of Delhi.

"Even after two years of this order, hardly any cases have been received by the Local Committees. The main reason for this, according to the Dy Chief Minister and other members present, was due to lack of awareness among women," it added.