'She Box' mandatory in offices with over 10 women employees

Dharwad

In a significant move aimed at strengthening workplace safety for women, the district administration has made it mandatory for all government offices, private establishments, and industries employing ten or more women workers to install “She Boxes” to address complaints related to sexual harassment at workplaces. Deputy Commissioner Snehal R, who also heads the District-Level Coordination Committee under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace informed the News Trail that she directed all institutions to strictly implement the provisions of the POSH Act, 2013, across the district.

The Deputy Commissioner said women employees facing sexual harassment, abuse, or inappropriate behaviour at workplaces can submit written complaints through the She Box system. Complaints can also be filed before the District Internal Complaints Committee for necessary action. The administration has already constituted a Local Complaints Committee under the POSH Act, 2013, and details of the committee have been uploaded on the She Box portal. According to official data, 66 offices in the district currently employ ten or more women staff members. Internal Complaints Committees have also been formed in 1,408 taluk-level offices.

Officials stated that information from 928 offices has already been uploaded on the She Box portal, while data entry for another 840 offices is in progress. In the private sector, details of 391 establishments have been approved on the portal. However, 314 private offices are yet to upload information related to their Internal Complaints Committees. The Deputy Commissioner said coordination committees have been constituted at the district, taluk, and municipal corporation levels in accordance with government directions to ensure effective implementation of the law. These committees are chaired respectively by the Deputy Commissioner, Tahsildars, and Municipal Commissioners.

She further instructed authorities to open and review She Boxes installed in offices at least once every week to examine complaints promptly and ensure transparency in the grievance redressal mechanism. “The responsibility of creating a safe, dignified and fear-free working environment for women lies with all institutions. Complaints must be handled transparently and strictly in accordance with the law,” she said. The district-level Local Complaints Committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of Dr. Sangeeta Mane, who can be contacted at 9880866796 for assistance related to workplace harassment complaints, said the DC.

Officials have also been directed to convene regular meetings of district, taluk, and municipal-level coordination committees and submit periodic implementation reports to the administration. Meanwhile, the administration has warned that registration on the She Box portal is compulsory for all private institutions employing ten or more workers. Failure to register may attract a penalty of up to Rs 50,000 under the provisions of the Act.