Safety of Women at Workplace UPSC

 Topic: Safety of Women at Workplace

In News due to
🗞 Cases of alleged sexual harassment faced by female wrestlers in India

Reasons for lack of women's participation in workforce
• Gender discrimination faced by women during recruitment and promotions
• Challenging for women to balance work and unpaid care activities at home. 
• Sexual harassment at workplace : According to NCW, nearly 30000 complaints of this matter were received since 2014.
• Experiencing glass ceiling effect at workplace
• Lack of education and skills
• Cultural beliefs and social stigmas
• Child marriages is also one of the reasons

Legal framework in india
 The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act, 2013
• Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005
• The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961

Govt Initiative to Empower Women
• NIRBHAYA Fund 2013
• One stop centres are established to provide integrated support and assistance under one roof to women affected by violence.
• Ujjawala Scheme for Prevention of trafficking and Rescue & Rehabilitation of Victims of Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation
• Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme
•Any woman facing sexual harassment at the workplace can register their complaint through SHe-Box portal.
• The National Rural Livelihoods Mission to empower rural women by providing them with skills training and access to credit

Way forward

• Need to start reform from our home by teaching boy child to respect girl child
• Generate awareness among women about their legal rights & remedies
• Strictly enforcement of the Vishaka guidelines framed by the Supreme Court of India in 1997
• Constitution of Internal Complaint Committees in every organisation which is  mandatory under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013.
• Create women friendly infrastructure including separate washrooms, breastfeeding rooms and security measures.