State Level Consultative Workshop On Implementation Of Sexual Harassment At Workplace Act 2013 For Informal Sector

A study, based on RTI findings, conducted by PRIA and Martha Farrell Foundation, showed that Local Committees have been formed in only 3 of Delhi’s 11 districts. In order to help bring together a list of actionable points for the holistic and meaningful implementation of the Act in all the districts of Delhi, the project organized a state level consultation on 10 September 2018 at India International Centre, New Delhi. Over 70 stakeholders from civil society, trade unions, academia, media, informal sector and Delhi State Government, Delhi Commission for Women joined the consultation. Dy Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, was the chief guest on the occasion. Ms. Bharti Sharma, currently the chairperson of South East Delhi Local Committee shared some of the best practices of her committee.

Absence of district level mechanism, lack of clarity of powers of Local Committee, non-access for informal sector women workers and absence of any appellate authority for Local Committees are some of the challenges that clearly stood out. Based on the group discussions and suggestions received from all the participants, the following recommendations were presented to the Dy Chief Minister of Delhi seeking his support to strengthen district level action in Delhi:
• Training of all district officials to make them sensitive towards the issue and make them aware about the provisions of law
• Training of law enforcement agencies (significant because the law routes complaints of domestic workers to the police
• Local Committee to be established in all districts of Delhi. The members should be trained and sensitized and should have a designated office/ address/ staff
• Nodal officers to be nominated and trained at the ward level in delhi
• Dissemination of information on sexual harassment and the redressal mechanism(LC) should be done widely. It can be through wall writing , posters in public pplaces, radio, newspaper etc.
• Make RWAs accountable and monitor their Internal Committees to ensure safety of domestic workers.
• A toll free Helpline number should be established which should act as one stop solution for legal, medical and psycho-social support.
• A survey of all informal establishments in Delhi should be conducted . All these establishments should be monitored effectively for compliance.
• State support should be provided to Domestic Workers’ Unions since their workplaces are more fragmented and individualized.

Mr. Manish Sisodia recognized the need for setting up a strong mechanism and committed to setting up Local Committees in all the districts of Delhi by end November 2018. He has sought the support of PRIA, MFF and Shaktishalini to enable the State Government of Delhi to establish a standard operating procedure for all Local Committees and co-create IEC material, which will be disseminated through radio, newspaper and other visual media.

Watch a video of Mr Sisodia making the commitment at the consultation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVguvZgH6PA