India to strengthen laws to prevent workplace sexual harassment

India on Wednesday constituted a Group of Ministers to strengthen the legal and institutional frameworks to deal with and prevent sexual harassment at workplace. This comes days after M J Akbar was forced to step down as union minister as several women mostly journalists accused him of sexual misconduct when he was their editor. According to Indian Express, the ministers will recommend action required for effective implementation of the existing provisions, as well as for strengthening the existing legal and institutional frameworks for addressing issues related to sexual harassment at workplace.Headed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, the GoM includes Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Road and Transport minister Nitin Gadkari and Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi.The Group of Ministers will, within 3 months of its constitution, examine the existing provisions for the safety of women and recommend further measures required to strengthen and make them more effective.With the #metoo movement gaining momentum, Maneka Gandhi had earlier expressed her solidarity with the movement and assured that her ministry will set up a committee of senior judicial and legal persons to look into issues of sexual harassment. Gandhi said she believes in the “pain and trauma behind every single complaint” and cases of sexual harassment at work “must be dealt with a policy of zero tolerance”. She later urged all political parties to set up internal committees.

from The News International - World https://ift.tt/2OLZ9Fh

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