Indore News: Internal Complaints Committees Must Be Formed In Offices To Prevent Sexual Harassment Of Women Staff

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): To ensure the safety and dignity of women at workplaces, Internal Complaints Committees will be formed in all government and non-government offices as per Rule 4 of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.

This rule applies to all offices and institutions where 10 or more officers or employees are working. If an Internal Complaints Committee is not formed, a fine of Rs 50,000 can be imposed.

 According to Programme Officer of the Women and Child Development Department, Rajneesh Sinha, each Internal Complaints Committee must have a presiding officer who should be a senior-level woman employee.

The committee should also include at least two members who are committed to women’s issues or have experience in social work or legal knowledge. In addition, one member should be from a non-government organization or a person familiar with issues related to sexual harassment. At least half of the committee members must be women.

 Sinha further said that if any woman faces sexual harassment in a government or private office or institution, she can file a complaint with the Internal Complaints Committee formed in that workplace. To make the complaint process easier, the She Box portal has also been started for matters related to sexual harassment. Information must be uploaded on this portal by the nodal officer.

 All offices, institutions and companies have been directed to form the Internal Complaints Committee and send complete details of the committee, along with the mobile number and email ID of the office nodal officer, to sheboxportalindore@gmail.com. A hard copy of the same information must also be sent compulsorily to the Office of the Women and Child Development Department, Administrative Complex, Collectorate, in the city.