THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a step towards ensuring women’s safety at workplaces, Minister for Health and Woman & Child Development Veena George has announced that over 10,307 institutions have registered through the POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) Act Compliance Portal.
The portal was set up to enforce the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act, 2013. Of the institutions that registered, 5,440 have already formed internal complaint committees (ICCs).
Veena said sector-specific awareness campaigns will be rolled out, and a focused initiative launched to ensure all establishments comply with the legal mandate of forming the ICCs.
As per the law, all workplaces having more than 10 employees, whether permanent or temporary, must have ICCs to safeguard women from workplace harassment.
Establishment heads or employers of workplaces with 10 or more employees are required to submit details of their committees, the number of complaints received, and relevant reports through the portal.
Meanwhile, women working in public or private establishments having fewer than 10 staff, as well as those in the unorganised sector, can submit complaints to the local committee at the collectorate concerned.
Designated officers appointed by the district collectors should update the portal with details of the complaints and actions taken.
This is the first time such a system has been implemented in the state.