Women’s panel missing at government offices

RANCHI: The Vishaka Guidelines, which were put in place in - to protect women from sexual harassment at workplaces, is a mystery for most government officials in Jharkhand.
No government office in the state has a panel to deal with complaints related to sexual harassment at workplaces. Even the chief minister's secretariat and the Jharkhand police headquarters, which employs dozens of women, do not comply with the norms.
Though the Tehelka sexual harassment case was an eye opener, offices here have failed to learn a lesson from it. Ove the last week sice the scandal was exposed, women rights activists have been taking to the streets in Ranchi demanding protection of women’s dignity and integrity at workplace.
The policemen in whom women repose faith for their protection against sexual offenses are themselves clueless about the guidelines. A senior police official asked TOI what were the provisions under the guidelines.
At the state police headquarters, dozens of women work as clerks, peons, officials, and several of them are at top positions. But there is no “Internal Complaints Committee (ICC)” as mandated by the Vishaka Guidelines. The guidelines were stipulated by the Supreme Court of India. The Sexual Harassment Act requires an employer to set up an “Internal Complaints Committee at each office or branch, of an organization employing at least 10 employees”.
DGP Rajiv Kumar said all women are safe at the police headquarters. “If anyone faces any kind of sexual harassment at the police headquarters, officers are here to act as per the laws,” he said.
There is no such panel at the chief minister'd secretariat either. Principal secretary to CM, Sukhdeo Singh confirmed that no such committee exists at CM secretariat.
Abha Sinha, president of Congress’s women wing in Jharkhand, said she had information that 99% of all offices in the state do not have ICC. “Sexual harassment of women at workplace is rampant across the country and Jharkhand is not an exception. In several cases, women are pressurized not to open their mouth or they would have to lose their jobs,” said Sinha. She said she would launch a campaign to ensure that all government departments, public sector undertakings, banks, and other organizations put a panel as per Vishaka Guidelines in place.
Mahua Manjhi, chairperson of the Women’s Commission of Jharkhand, said that she has written to the chief secretary about it. “I have requested him to ask all government and private organizations to comply with the guidelines,” she said. Chief secretary R S Sharma said: “The government will issue instructions to all to establish ICC. I am not aware whether all the government departments have ICCs or not. I will have to find out the details. Directions will be issued accordingly.”