Description

The second event of the project “Know Your Laws”, was held on 8th February, 2025 based was based on a very sensitive, yet a very crucial topic namely “Legisative Approach on Protecting Women at Workplace: A Discussion on Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.” During this event, the esteemed resource person Ms. Debasmita Acharjee Ma’am, delivered the lecture on the above stated topic for about an hour, covering topics ranging from the definition of Sexual harassment, modes of harassment and what exactly the Indian Legislature had to say regarding the same. The said key highlights were as follows: 1. The lecture started off with discussing a few statistics of what the record has been of women being sexually harassed in workplace, and why exactly the government thought of making a provision to protect women from such ill instances at workplace. 2. A few aspects of constitutional law was also discussed, such as Art 14 to 21, and Art 39, 41, 42 and 43; among other prominent provisions. 3. Then the topic was taken back to its history and what exactly did the government do to curtail sexual harassment of women, especially in workplace. They are as follows: Equal Renumeration Act, 1976; Maternity Benefit Act, 1948 and sexual harassment of women at workplace (prevention, prohibition and redressal) Act, 2013. 4. It was thought to the invitees to the lecture that sexual harassment does not only mean by way of physical abuse but also verbal and mental distress by sending or talking about sexual content. 5. And they were also thought about what exact a “workplace” means and what is the scope for the remedy. 6. In its essence, the webinar saw a lot of interactions throughout the event by means of question and answers via both the resource person and the invitees, which seemingly kept the lecture engaging and smooth throughout the event.