The University Grants Commission (UGC) recently released a notice reaffirming the rules governing sexual harassment of female employees and students in higher education institutions (HEIs). According to the UGC Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal of Sexual Harassment of Women Employees and Students in Higher Educational Institutions Regulations, 2015, educational institutions are required to implement a grievance redressal mechanism, a process for filing a complaint and conducting an investigation, interim redress, punishment and compensation, and consequences for noncompliance. These regulations can be found on the commission’s official website at ugc.gov.in.
The UGC has requested that universities host programmes to raise awareness about sexual harassment of women in the workplace. The awareness programme should be conducted from December 9, 2023, to December 15, 2023.
Due to their statutory nature, the UGC Regulations apply to all HEls. Sub-regulation (I) of Regulation 4 of these regulations states specifically that “…every Executive Authority shall constitute an Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) with an inbuilt mechanism for gender sensitization against sexual harassment,” reads the official notice.
As per the notice, the UGC has issued advisories for the establishment of an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) and a women’s cell to address gender-based violence and conduct gender sensitisation programmes.
In order to raise awareness among staff members about sexual harassment and how to prevent it, universities should post banners and posters in noticeable locations throughout the buildings. Additionally, they have to post on notice boards within the institutions the names and contact information of the Internal Complaint Committee members.
Universities will also need to upload the “Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013” and information about the Internal Complaints Committee’s constitution, along with contact details for its members, including names, phone numbers, as well as address, on the official website at saksham.ugc.ac.in.
Additionally, it is requested that awareness programmes on the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 be held at the university and the affiliated colleges in the week beginning on December 9, 2023, and ending on December 15, 2023, to commemorate the notification of this Act and educate the staff and students about its provisions. The commission may be contacted by email at [email protected] with information about the programmes the HEI conducts.
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