Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Dr Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, Monday urged the female employees of the district not to hesitate and report incidents of harassment faced in offices and expect fair proceedings and strict action against the perpetrators.Dr Shah was speaking at an awareness meeting convened to sensitize the female employees working at the DC Office about the functioning of the Internal Complaints Committee constituted in September 2017 for redressing grievances involving harassment of women at workplaces and the implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplaces (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) (SHWW) Act 2013.The meeting included sensitization about relevant provisions of the SHWW Act and the importance of reporting incidents of harassment at workplaces for its prevention and ensuring a culture of respect for women at workplaces.
The DC said that not reporting harassment incidents emboldens perpetrators and sustains a culture of harassment of women. He said it has a direct bearing on the self-esteem of women which makes it all the more important for them to report it.It was said that in order to bring about larger sensitization amongst female employees about their rights and prevention of harassment at workplaces, an awareness programme for female employees from all the departments of the district will be held soon.Members of Srinagar Sexual Harassment Committee of Women at Workplaces including committee head the Additional Deputy Commissioner Purnima Mittal and committee members the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (West) Rifat Naseem, Tehsildar Headquarters Nusrat Qadri and Tehsildar Eidgah Nuzhat Khurshid besides all female employees working at the DC Office were present in the meeting.