MCCI organized an Awareness Programme on “Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013” today at the Chamber premises. The programme was addressed by Smt. Sunanda Mukherjee, Hon’ble Chairperson, West Bengal Commission for Women, Shri M.S. Dwivedy, Hon’ble Member (Judicial), West Bengal Human Rights Commission and Shri Vishal Kedia, Consultant & Eminent Speaker. Addressing the members, Smt. Sunanda Mukherjee said that “the Human Rights Commissions and the Commissions for Women are quasi–judicial bodies with recommendatory powers and monitoring authorities, they are not sufficiently empowered to ensure justice for the wronged women”. Smt. Mukherjee was of the opinion that this Law had been a great leap forward where the employer had been given full responsibility to handle the cases, which actually a HR issue. However, there had been widespread implementation lapses. Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) had not been constituted in most of the companies and the women victims had to face so much agony, as also fear of job loss. The women used to get trapped in various ways in the workplace. She felt that things had taken a positive turn in the last 6–7 months, with colleagues and friends, both men & women, coming forward to help the concerned women. It was the duty of the employer to create a discrimination–free environment at the workplace, she added. Shri M S Dwivedy highlighted on sensitization of the personnel at the workplace, in addition to awareness programmes. Shri Vishal Kedia mentioned that the Law was more preventive than curative and it entailed only punishment in terms of fine and no imprisonment. He spoke on the positive points of the Law like confidentiality, time bound redressal within 90 days, punishment for false & malicious complaint and others. He also referred to a recent UGC notification of gender neutrality in higher education empowering women and students of any gender to make a complaint of sexual harassment.

   Kolkata, India -  MCCI organized an Awareness Programme on “Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013” today at the Chamber premises. 

The programme was addressed by Smt. Sunanda Mukherjee, Hon’ble Chairperson, West Bengal Commission for Women, Shri M.S. Dwivedy, Hon’ble Member (Judicial), West Bengal Human Rights Commission and Shri Vishal Kedia, Consultant & Eminent Speaker. 

Addressing the members, Smt. Sunanda Mukherjee said that “the Human Rights Commissions and the Commissions for Women are quasi–judicial bodies with recommendatory powers and monitoring authorities, they are not sufficiently empowered to ensure justice for the wronged women”.

Smt. Mukherjee was of the opinion that this Law had been a great leap forward where the employer had been given full responsibility to handle the cases, which actually a HR issue. However, there had been widespread implementation lapses. Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) had not been constituted in most of the companies and the women victims had to face so much agony, as also fear of job loss. The women used to get trapped in various ways in the workplace.

She felt that things had taken a positive turn in the last 6–7 months, with colleagues and friends, both men & women, coming forward to help the concerned women. It was the duty of the employer to create a discrimination–free environment at the workplace, she added.

Shri M S Dwivedy highlighted on sensitization of the personnel at the workplace, in addition to awareness programmes.

Shri Vishal Kedia mentioned that the Law was more preventive than curative and it entailed only punishment in terms of fine and no imprisonment. He spoke on the positive points of the Law like confidentiality, time bound redressal within 90 days, punishment for false & malicious complaint and others. He also referred to a recent UGC notification of gender neutrality in higher education empowering women and students of any gender to make a complaint of sexual harassment.