Tura, August 7: A one-day training programme on the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition & Redressal) Act, 2013 for internal committee and local committee members of West Garo Hills district was held at Circuit House, Tura on Tuesday.
Advocate and former member, Meghalaya State Commission for Women (MSCW) Rebina Subba explained in detail about understanding sexual harassment at workplace, its objectives and the redress mechanism of the Act for enabling measures and strategies for safe workplace.
Subba said the Act aims to prevent and address incidents of sexual harassment of women at their place of work and provide a mechanism for redressal of complaints related to such harassment.
Highlighting on the provisions of the Act, she said it mandates every workplace employing more than ten persons to constitute an internal complaints committee which is responsible for addressing complaints of sexual harassment and ensuring a safe working environment. The workplace mentioned includes government, private and non-governmental organisations, as well as any organisations, institutions, undertakings or establishments.
Rabba also stressed on the need to organise awareness and sensitisation programmes including quarterly meetings for their staff or employees adding those employers who fail to form the internal committee can be penalized.
The programme was organised by the Meghalaya Administrative Training Institute (MATI), Shillong. Additional Deputy Commissioner, West Garo Hills, Tura Pearla Tatyana Sangma was also present at the training programme.
