VIJAYAWADA: Minister of Women, Children, Differently Abled and Senior Citizens KV Ushashri Charan said that Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) will help to curb sexual abuse against women at workplaces. She said that there is a need for setting up the ICC at all HOD offices and private offices following the Supreme Court guidelines and norms prescribed by the State government.
The minister attended as chief guest at the meeting chaired to review the implementation of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act-2013 by AP Mahila Commission at the Velagapudi secretariat here on Thursday.
Addressing the meeting, the minister said that CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has given top priority for women safety, welfare and empowerment with introducing a slew of initiatives in this regard. The State government also allocated huge amounts of funds for women’s welfare and development. As a result women have developed on financial, educational, social and health fronts.
Ushashri further said that there has been fewer number of women abuse cases getting reported in the State due to various programmes taken up by the AP government when compared to other States.On the occasion, she opined that setting up ICCs at workplaces will ensure curbing sexual harassment against women completely and allow them to report such incidents without fear.
She directed the officials concerned to immediately set up ICCs at the offices which are yet to set up these committee’s.AP Mahila Commission chairperson Vasireddy Padma said the government started ‘Sabhala’ on International Women’s Day last year to resolve issues.She said that the commission has organised awareness sessions for women on a big scale at Guntur, Eluru, Kurnool and other areas resolving women’s issues.