Maneka launches SHe-Box for complain against sexual harassment at workplace

New Delhi [India], July 24 (ANI): The Ministry of Women & Child Development has launched an online complaint management system titled Sexual Harassment electronic-Box (SHe-Box) for registering complaints related to sexual harassment at workplace in New Delhi on Monday. Speaking at the occasion, Maneka Sanjay Gandhi, Union Minister of Women & Child Development said that though currently this facility has been extended to employees of Central Government, the scope of the portal will soon be extended to women employees of private sector also. The complaint management system has been developed to ensure the effective implementation of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act (the SH Act), 2013. "This portal (She-Box) is an initiative to provide a platform to women working or visiting any office of Central Government (Central Ministries, Departments, Public Sector Undertakings, Autonomous Bodies and Institutions etc.) to file complaints related to sexual harassment at workplace under the SH Act," the WCD Minister Maneka said. She said, "This portal (SHe-Box) is an effort to provide speedier remedy to women facing sexual harassment at workplace as envisaged under the SH Act. Once a complaint is submitted to the portal, it will be directly sent to the ICC of the concerned Ministry/ Department/ PSU/Autonomous Body etc. having jurisdiction to inquire into the complaint. Through this portal, WCD as well as complainant can monitor the progress of inquiry conducted by the ICC". Government of India is the largest employer in the country employing 30.87 lakh people to carry out its various functions. As per the Census of Central Government employees, 2011, women constitute 10.93% (3.37 lakhs) of the total regular Central Government employees. "Those who had already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint through this portal," WCD Minister further said. The WCD Minister Maneka said that there are some surveys, which give the extent of sexual harassment of women at workplace. However, the WCD Ministry will carry out a national level survey to asses and understand the magnitude of the problem. "It is an effort to utilise the digital space to enable speedier response to the complaints of women against sexual harassment at workplace," WCD Minister Maneka claimed. The portal (SHe-Box) will provide a platform to these empanelled institutes/organisations to share their capacity building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these institutes/organizations so empanelled from across the country. The WCD Ministry has taken several measures to ensure the implementation of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act. The Ministry has published a Handbook on the SH Act with the objective to provide information about the provisions of the Act in an easy to use practical manner. Further, the Ministry in collaboration with Institute of Statistical Training and Management (ISTM), New Delhi has prepared a training module to build the capacity of government officials above the provisions of the SH Act and develop in them professional competence to implement the same. As of now, as per the reports received, in the past 5 months, the empanelled institutes /organisations /companies have organised 35 capacity building exercises which were attended by approximately 1700 people. Ensuring the dignity and safety of women must be first priority for any digital society. Towards realisation of the vision of the Digital India programme, the Ministry is promoting utilisation of information and communication technology to achieve the goal of gender equality and women empowerment. The Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Krishna Raj, Secretary WCD, Rakesh Srivastava and senior officers of the Ministry as well as its associated organizations were present during the launch event. (ANI)