Nashik Workshop Stresses Effective Implementation Of POSH Act, Focus On Women’s Safety
· Free Press Journal
Nashik: Strong emphasis was laid on the effective implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act), ensuring that it goes beyond paperwork and is enforced in practice. Key focus areas included granting autonomy to Internal Complaints Committees (ICC) and establishing a trustworthy, sensitive grievance redressal mechanism for women. These points were highlighted during a training and discussion workshop.
The workshop on “Women’s Safety and the POSH Act, 2013” was organised at the Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya Hall of the Maharashtra Environmental Engineering Training and Research Institute (MITRA), under the joint initiative of the District Collector's Office and the District Women and Child Development Department, Nashik.
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Among those present were MLC Chitra Wagh, MLAs Devyani Farande & Seema Hiray, Deputy Collector Shubhangi Bharde, Deputy Commissioner of Women and Child Development Chandrashekhar Pagare, Municipal Deputy Commissioner Nitin Ner, District Women and Child Development Officer Sunil Dusane, MIDC Regional Manager Deepak Patil, NIMA President Ashish Nahar, IMA President Rajiv Pansare, Vice President of MCCIA Sanjay Sonawane, along with officials and employees from various government and non-government organisations.
Detailed discussions were held on the background, objectives, and implementation challenges of the POSH Act. It was noted that while many organizations have established ICCs, they often lack true autonomy and effectiveness. Factors such as pressure from senior management, lack of transparency, and insufficient sensitivity hinder justice for affected women.
In the private sector, fear of job loss, transfers, or mental harassment discourages women from filing complaints. It was clarified that the concept of “zero complaints” often reflects a lack of trust rather than the absence of incidents.
The workshop stressed that ensuring safety and support for affected women is a collective responsibility of institutions and colleagues. There is a need to stop the tendency to victim-blame or label complaints as false allegations.
It was recommended that every workplace prominently display information about the POSH Act, ICC details, and complaint procedures. Awareness about the central government’s SHe-Box online complaint portal should also be increased.
Special campaigns were suggested to spread awareness about the law among women working in small and medium enterprises. Coordination between industry, labour, and women and child development departments was also emphasised to strengthen implementation.