GoM formed post #MeToo movement holds first meeting

A group of ministers formed in the wake of the #MeToo movement to strengthen the legal and institutional frameworks to prevent sexual harassment at workplace held its first meeting Monday.

Although the issues discussed in the meeting were kept confidential, sources at the Women and Child Development Ministry said Union minister Maneka Gandhi pushed for strengthening the National Commission for Women (NCW).

The group of ministers (GoM) is headed by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Gandhi, the Women and Child Development Minister, are its other members.

According to sources, except Gadkari, who is not in the city, all other ministers participated in the meeting.

They said two more such meetings would be held wherein the GoM would recommend action required for effective implementation of the existing provisions as well as strengthening these frameworks for addressing issues related to sexual harassment at workplace.

The panel has been set up in the wake of the #MeToo movement wherein several women publicly named their 'powerful' harassers at the workplace.

India's #MeToo movement, which started with actor Tanushree Dutta accusing actor Nana Patekar of harassing her during the shooting of a Bollywood film in 2008, escalated sharply with many women coming forward with their complaints against popular personalities.

Former Minister of State for external affairs M J Akbar, filmmakers Subhash Ghai, Sajid Khan, Rajat Kapoor and actor Alok Nath are among those who have been accused of sexual misconduct.