The Prevention of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013: A Landmark Legislation
The Prevention of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (PoSH) Act, 2013 is an Act of the Parliament of India that was enacted to protect women from sexual harassment at their workplace. The Act defines sexual harassment as any unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.
The PoSH Act is in the news this month because of a number of reasons. First, the Supreme Court of India has recently issued a number of directions on the implementation of the Act. These directions have been welcomed by women's rights groups, who have long been calling for stronger implementation of the Act.
Second, there have been a number of high-profile cases of sexual harassment in recent months. These cases have brought the issue of sexual harassment to the forefront of public discourse and have led to increased awareness of the issue.
Third, the government of India is taking steps to strengthen the implementation of the PoSH Act. The government has recently launched a number of initiatives to raise awareness of the Act and to provide support to women who have been sexually harassed.
The PoSH Act is an important piece of legislation that has the potential to make a real difference in the lives of women in India. The Act has the power to create a more safe and respectful workplace for women, and it is important that the Act is implemented effectively.
Here are some of the key provisions of the PoSH Act:
- The Act defines sexual harassment as any unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.
- The Act requires all employers with 10 or more employees to constitute an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) to deal with complaints of sexual harassment.
- The Act also provides for the establishment of Local Complaints Committees (LCCs) in districts to deal with complaints of sexual harassment from women working in the informal sector.
- The Act provides for a number of remedies for women who have been sexually harassed, including compensation, reinstatement, and transfer of the harasser.
The PoSH Act is a landmark piece of legislation that has the potential to make a real difference in the lives of women in India. The Act has the power to create a more safe and respectful workplace for women, and it is important that the Act is implemented effectively.
