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What is the POSH act, and how has it put the onus on employers to enable a harassment free workplace? Learn your law here!
Have you ever faced a sexually coloured remark at your workplace? A subtle sexual advance by your co-worker? Is your workplace gender sensitive? Does your organization have a policy against sexual harassment? Is there a forum to address related issues? Do you feel confident to discuss your issues without any implication on your reputation? Are you wondering what counts as sexual harassment, in the first place?
In the 1990s, a small news item was published in a regional newspaper in Rajasthan. It talked about a social worker called Bhanwari Devi filing an FIR against a gang of men who allegedly raped her for being instrumental in stopping child marriage. However, Bhanwari received little support and justice until the women’s rights group Vishakha stepped in. This resulted in the Supreme court of India laying down guidelines against sexual harassment in workplace that were famously called the Vishakha Guidelines. In 2013, many years after formulating the Vishaka guidelines, the Supreme court passed the Prevention of Sexual Harassment or the POSH act.
POSH act, 2013 is the prevention, protection and redressal of sexual harassment in the workplace. It defines what actually constitutes sexual harassment and the ways to prevent, protect and address the same. POSH act mandates any organization having more than 10 employees to constitute an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) that provides a channel for addressing sexual harassment at the workplace. It also elaborates on the actions to be taken, the confidentiality of the complaint, training and awareness. It also dictates the actions to be taken against any false accusation. It should also be noted that this Act is gender neutral and applies to both men and women.
As suggested earlier, POSH Act enforces any organization to formulate a policy for the prevention of sexual harassment and redressal of the same. It mandates an internal complaints committee to address the issues and resolve them. It also recommends conducting orientation programmes and seminars. This Act would help to create a fostering environment for working women and empower them to voice out against sexual harassment.
Watch this episode of The PS Show to listen to Sohini Mandal elaborate on the POSH Act, part 1 of the series on Prevention of Sexual harassment at the workplace.
Entrepreneurship and entertainment have been the key themes in her work life. In a career spanning over 18 years, she has launched a film magazine, hosted a film-based radio talk show and co-founded read more...
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UP Boards Topper Prachi Nigam was trolled on social media for her facial hair; our obsession with appearance is harsh on young minds.
Prachi Nigam’s photo has been doing the rounds on social media for the right reasons. Well, scratch that- I wish the above statement were true. This 15-year-old girl should ideally be revelling in her spectacular achievement of scoring a whopping 98.05% and topping her tenth-grade boards. But oddly enough, along with her marks, it’s something else that garners more attention – her facial hair.
While the trolls are driving themselves giddy by mocking this girl who hasn’t even completed her school yet, the ones who are taking her side are going one step ahead – they are sharing her photoshopped pictures, sans the facial hair, looking nothing less than a celebrity with captions saying – “Prachi Nigam, ten years later”.
Doctors have already diagnosed her with PCOD in their comments, based on photographic evidence. While we have names for people shamed for their weight – body shaming, for their skin colour- racism, for their age- age shaming, for being a female- sexism, this category of shaming where one faces criticism for their appearance has no name. With that, it also has zero shame attached to it.
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