- sexual harassment

SEXUAL HARASSMENT AT THE WORKPLACE

Sexual harassment as for long been trivialised as ‘eve-teasing’, but in 1997, in response to a case filed by women's groups, the Supreme Court of India recognised the specificities of sexual harassment at the workplace and issued guidelines to pave the way for judicial remedy. More than a decade later, and despite the continued efforts of the women's movement, women who complain still have to deal with biased and arbitrary complaints committees, false cases foisted on them and loss of jobs, not to mention severe emotional and mental trauma.

To understand the enormity and complexity of the issue, Saheli conducted a survey with working women in 1998, and developed a play titled Mahaul Badalna Hai in 1999-2000. Performances of the play have led to vibrant discussions and workshops with varied constituencies - students, domestic workers, guards, and so on over the years.

At the same time, we continue to handle individual cases and are active on complaints committees of government and non-government institutions. Even as we grapple with the nuances of drafting a civil law to deal with the issue, we campaign to make society recognise sexual harassment as a major hurdle to women's right to a safe and conducive working environment.

PUBLICATIONS

OPENING THE PANDORA'S BOX

Sexual Harassment, Corruption in an NGO

December 2003

MAHAUL BADALNA HAI

A Play Script (Hindi)

April 2001

ANOTHER OCCUPATIONAL HAZARD

Sexual Harassment at the Workplace (English + Hindi)

Report of a Survey

October 1998

ARTICLES