International Women's Day 2023


Helpline Number for Women by National Commission for Women (NCW)
HELPLINE NO.: 7827170170


GUIDELINES RELATED TO SEXUAL HARRASMENT OF WOMEN AT WORKPLACE

(Created by SHWW committee, Sep 11, 2017)



The Women Cell is constituted to help maintain a harmonious atmosphere at the Institute, to enable women to pursue their work with dignity and reassurance. The Cell has been working to raise awareness on gender equality issues.

This Cell functions as the "Complaints Committee" as required by the "Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013".

Institute is committed to maintaining a professional learning and working environment for its students, employees and guests. One of the Women cells’ mandate is to prevent gender discrimination and inappropriate sexual conduct. This is best achieved through promoting gender sensitivity and justice amongst all IPR employees.

As per the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 Act, the following are to be considered as “sexual harassment” :

Any unwelcome act or behaviour, namely:

Physical contact and advances
A demand or request for sexual favours
Making sexually coloured remarks
Showing or displaying  of  pornography material
Any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature

The following circumstances, if present in relation to the act of behaviour of harassment will also amount to sexual harassment:

Implied or explicit promise of preferential treatment in employment
Implied or explicit threat of detrimental treatment
Implied or explicit threat about her present or future employment status
Interference with her work or creating offensive or hostile work environment
Humiliating treatment likely to affect her health or safety

In addition to above, following points will also be considered as creating a hostile work environment:
Pressure for dates
Pressure for discussing/meeting at some particular place and timings that makes an individual feel uncomfortable
Making offensive remarks about looks, clothing, body parts
Touching or staring in a way that may make an individual feel uncomfortable
Telling sexual jokes, hanging sexual posters
Using racially derogatory words, phrases, epithets
Demonstrations of a racial or ethnic nature such as the use of gestures, pictures or drawing which would offend a particular racial or ethnic group
Comments about an individual’s skin color or other racial/ethnic characteristics
Negative comments about an employee’s religious beliefs
Negative  stereotypes regarding an employee’s birthplace or ancestry
Negative comments on an employee’s age when referring to employees above the age of 40
Derogatory or intimidating references to an employee’s mental or physical impairment

The complaints w.r.t the above points can be made to the committee by female employees of IPR in the following manner:

The female employee can make a complaint, in writing, to the local committee within a period of 3 months from the date of the incident.

The complainant should clearly write down her identity, i.e, name, group, division, and office premises, to ensure fast and fruitful results and to solve the problems in a positive way.  The committee is giving complete assurance to the employees that these details will be kept strictly confidential and will not be discussed outside, by any of the members of the committee. The committee also ensures to take action as per Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.

Recommendations
Dont’s
Avoid touching any person or staring at a person, unnecessarily
Do not make sexist remarks or jokes that demean or humiliate any gender or category of people.
Do not take pictures, videos or oral recordings of anyone without their freely given consent.
Any written, multimedia, pictures, videos or oral recordings of a private sexual nature cannot be shared through e-mail, regular post, on social media (whatsapp/facebook/Instagram/snapchat, etc.) or other websites.
Do not send mixed signals – be firm and committed in your decision regarding any uncomfortable/unwanted action.
Do not send suggestive Whatsapp / SMS messages

Do’s
Show and treat everyone in the Institute with respect.
Any individual can ask that the door of an office be left open during any interaction.
Any individual can request that meetings take place only during standard working hours and not in isolated areas.
Any individual can request that meetings and study sessions take place in well-lit public spaces rather than in rooms with limited access from the outside or in rooms that are private to one individual.

Do not stay silent because you are afraid that no one will believe you.
Do not stay silent  because you fear ridicule.

Complaints Committee against Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace - 

Name

Contact
Dr. Ranjana Gangradey

Chairperson
079 2396 2057
Ms. Manika Sharma

Co-Chairperson
079 2396 2043
Ms. Kumudni Assudani

Member
079 2396 2135
Dr. Geetika Saluja(NGO)
Member (External Expert)

-
Head Admin-3 Section

Member
079 2396 2012