- According to a report by Human Rights Watch – State governments are not doing a good job of giving justice to women
- 20 million women working in informal sector, mostly poor and backward women are exploited
In India, women are discriminated against at the workplace, women are still sexually abused in the construction, agriculture and informal sectors, and at home. One study found that laws made to curb all these are being used very rarely.
There are about 20 million women employed in the informal sector in India. According to a report by Human Rights Watch, even the state governments are not doing a good job of giving justice to women who are being sexually abused or prevented.
According to experts, women will have to raise their voice to prevent these atrocities. Many women remain silent. He should resist and strive for justice.
Legislation was enacted in 2013 to prevent exploitation
The country enacted a law in 2013 to prevent sexual exploitation of women in the workplace. This is called POSH Act i.e. Prevention of Sexual Harassment.
Mostly poor and backward class women
- According to a report by Human Rights Watch, most of the women being exploited at the workplace in India are poor and backward women. Many exploited women also die.
- Meena Jadav, a trade union leader representing workers in Gujarat, says physical and sexual harassment at the workplace has become very common in India. The women of our generation did not complain. If the victim was young, he would be less likely to complain because the family did not want to.
The company has also been directed to form a committee of 10 members.
- Under the Posh Act, each institution or company in the country is obliged to form a committee of 10 members. The committee will hear issues of physical and sexual harassment of women working in that place or company.
- By law, the head of the committee should be a woman. The committee will have the same power as a civil court. The committee can take statements of the victim, examine the evidence and witnesses related to the case.
- If the committee finds anyone guilty, it can direct the court and police to take appropriate action. The committee can also take action against culprits like termination, but it is up to the state government to inform the poor, uneducated and backward class women about this law and its rules.
Women cannot report police misconduct
- There is a major problem of gender discrimination with women, due to which they cannot talk openly. So cases related to women in the court stay for years and they do not get justice. Meenakshi Ganguly, director of human rights in South Asia, said, “The posh act was enacted in India so that women have a court option, but women cannot report for police negligence and bad behavior.”
What to do for safety?
- Meenakshi Ganguly says that women cannot be trusted, they have to come forward to protest every injustice. Women need to be careful about their safety.
- Women ensure that committees are formed under the Posh Act wherever they work.
- Stay in touch with your own union leader and raise your voice on every issue.
- Do not be silent when any event occurs, oppose it.
- Encourage women who work with you to lift the ball.
- Do not hesitate to report to the police and committee.
- If the police and the committee are not hearing, go to the civil court.