Sexual Harassment at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (The Act) requires the employer to organise workshops and awareness generation programs at regular intervals for sanitizing the employees with the provisions of the Act.

The Act makes it mandatory for every employer having 10 or more employees to constitute an Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) to deal with cases of sexual harassment. The ICC is to be constituted with one Chairperson (woman employee at a senior level), two members from among employees and an external member; at least 50% of the committee members should be women.

Under the corporate governance framework prescribed by SEBI for listed companies, every listed company will have to publish Business Responsibility Reporting (BRR).Section E of Principle 3 deals with Prevention of Sexual Harassment.

All the listed companies would have appointed an ICC. However, all the members of ICC may not have an in-depth understanding of their role, responsibility and process to be followed should there be any complaint filed before them.

Further, it is also obligatory on the part of every employer to create awareness of provisions of PSH Act through appropriate training process. ICC should therefore be aware of how to conduct the awareness programs.

NISM jointly with National Commission for Women, New Delhi proposed to conduct workshops for members of ICC of listed companies and large intermediaries with the objective of creating thorough understanding of role, responsibilities and process of ICC.

Topics to be covered:

• Gender Equality – meaning, importance
• Gender Equality – world view
• Legal position with respect to gender equality
• What is sexual harassment? Impact of harassment on women
• Types and causes of harassment.
• Measures to prevent sexual harassment – international views (if possible)
• Measures to prevent sexual harassment – national level.
• Role and responsibilities of ICC members.
• How to conduct inquiry when a complaint is received?
• Role of Police or state machinery in these complaints.

Target participants

ICC members of listed companies and intermediaries are eligible to attend this program.

Faculty & Teaching methodology

National Commission for Women will provide experience faculty to conduct this program. Also, speakers from large institutions that have handled such complaints will also be invited.It will be a workshop approach. Every session will have a conceptual presentation followed by group activity to bring forth the practices followed by institutions that the participants represent. Groups will make a presentation from which best practices may emerge.