Shadow Correspondent
Kathua, Oct, 25
A legal awareness program on the “Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013,” commonly known as the PoSH Act, was organized under the guidance and leadership of the Chairman, District Legal Services Authority, Kathua Jatinder Singh Jamwal (Principal District and Sessions) Judge, Kathua). The program was conducted by Secretary District Legal Services Authority Kamiya Singh Andotra and attended by female staff members of District Court Complex and PLVs of DLSA Kathua.
The Secretary, while deliberating on the Act, stated that sexual harassment at workplace is gender discrimination which violates fundamental rights to equality and life guaranteed under the Indian Constitution.
It not only affects aggrieved women’s social and economic growth but also causes her to go through physical and emotional suffering.
“First step with regard to addressing this issue was taken up by the Hon’ble Supreme Court while issuing Vishakha guidelines which led to the enactment of the PoSH Act. Since “prevention is better than cure” the Act casts an obligation on employers to create gender sensitization workplaces and remove underlying factors that contribute towards creating a hostile working environment against women and the constitution of the Internal Committee to deal with such matters. Since the law makes the proceedings confidential, women employees were encouraged to stand up against any such unwelcome express or implied behaviour” she added.
Deputy Chief Legal Aid Defence Counsel, DLSA Kathua Puneet Kumari, and Advocate Sumit Jasrotia addressed the gathering about their human and Constitutional rights with special focus on PoSH Act.
