THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government will formulate a new women’s policy that prioritises women’s mental health and well-being alongside their social and professional security. Labour and Women and Child Development Minister Bindhu Krishna said the government aims to announce a comprehensive women’s policy on the next International Women’s Day after consolidating suggestions and opinions from people across various sections of society.
The policy will seek to uphold women’s dignity, self-respect and safety, the minister said.
The minister made the announcement while inaugurating a state-level seminar on ‘POSH Act, 2013, and Women’s Mental Health’,organised by the Kerala Women’s Commission at the Government Rest House at Thycaud. The minister said the state government had adopted a women-friendly approach and that ensuring a safe and dignified workplace for women was a collective responsibility of the government and society.
Under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, commonly known as the POSH Act, institutions with 10 or more employees are required to constitute internal committees to address complaints of sexual harassment, she said.
However,these committees function only in name in many institutions, the minister said. It was a matter of concern that women continued to fear losing their jobs or facing humiliation if they lodged complaints.
Harassment and humiliation at workplaces seriously affected women’s mental health and personal lives.
“The department would therefore step up monitoring and conduct strict inspections to ensure that complaint redressal committees function effectively in all institutions,”she said.
Kerala Women’s Commission chairperson P Satheedevi, who presided over the function, said women could benefit from the protection offered by existing laws only when men were also made aware of legislation aimed at ensuring women’s safety.
Shiji V, deputy secretary in the Law Department and faculty member of the Institute of Management in Government,spoke on the POSH Act.