Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, today chaired a high-level meeting to review the implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act) across J&K, emphasizing the need for ensuring safe, secure and conducive work environments for women in both public and private sectors.
The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary, Home Department; Commissioner Secretary, Social Welfare Department; Divisional Commissioner, Jammu/Kashmir; Commissioner Secretary, Law Department; Secretary, Rural Development Department; Secretary, Transport Department; Managing Director, Mission Shakti; Joint Director, Information Department, besides other concerned officers
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary underscored the importance of implementing the provisions of the POSH Act and the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in their true letter and spirit.
He directed the Social Welfare Department to devise a comprehensive implementation framework clearly delineating responsibilities at various levels to ensure that all workplaces are compliant with the provisions of the Act and remain safe and supportive spaces for women employees.
Stressing the need for widespread awareness, Dulloo called for intensified outreach among women working in government departments, public institutions and private establishments regarding their rights, safeguards and grievance redressal mechanisms available under the Act.
He also emphasized the need for regular capacity-building programmes for all stakeholders, including District Nodal Officers, members of Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) and other functionaries responsible for enforcing the Act.
The Chief Secretary advised the Law Department to facilitate training programmes through the Legal Services Authorities and strengthen awareness and legal literacy initiatives related to the Act.
He further directed Mission Shakti to ensure that districts regularly organize ‘Mahila Jan Sunwai’ programmes on a monthly basis under the supervision of District Magistrates, Senior Superintendents of Police and District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs), providing a dedicated platform for women to raise their grievances and seek timely redressal.
He also instructed the departmentto undertake extensive dissemination of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) material related to the POSH Act, Women Helpline-181 and the SHe-Box portal at workplaces and through departmental websites to enhance awareness and accessibility of grievance redressal mechanisms.
Speaking on the occasion, Commissioner Secretary, Social Welfare Department, Sarmad Hafeez, highlighted the key provisions of the POSH Act and outlined the measures being undertaken for its effective implementation across the Union Territory.
He informed that Internal Complaints Committees have been constituted in government offices down to the Tehsil and Block levels. Additionally, 978 institutions and workplaces employing women have been identified so far. He stressed the need for comprehensive identification and mapping of all workplaces across districts in accordance with the provisions of the Act and the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court.
Sarmad Hafeez further informed that all government departments and private establishments have been advised to prominently display details of Women Helpline-181 and the SHe-Box portal to facilitate easy access to support and complaint registration mechanisms for women employees.
He added that the department is planning a series of capacity-building workshops and an intensive IEC campaigns in the coming months to create greater awareness about workplace safety and women’s rights under the Act.
Additionally Mission Director, Mission Vatsalya/Mission Shakti, Rubina Kousar, also presented an overview of the measures being undertaken to strengthen the implementation framework of the Act and improve institutional response mechanisms for addressing complaints of workplace sexual harassment.
She informed the meeting that 2,826 government offices and 1,048 private establishments have been mapped on the designated portal, with the number continuously increasing as more workplaces are identified and brought under the system. She further revealed that three complaints of sexual harassment had been received and addressed in accordance with the provisions of the Act.
Kousar also highlighted the department’s ongoing capacity-building initiatives, stating that nodal officers have been designated in all districts while the process of identifying and mapping workplaces is being carried out on a continuous basis to ensure comprehensive coverage under the POSH framework.
The meeting concluded with a reaffirmation of the administration’s commitment towards ensuring a safe, dignified and harassment-free working environment for women across Jammu and Kashmir through effective implementation of the POSH Act and sustained awareness and capacity-building efforts among all the stakeholders.