SHILLONG, MAR 7: KHNAM on Monday urged the state government to direct private companies operating in the state to form Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) as mandated by the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013.
The demand was made to the East Khasi Hills deputy commissioner PS Dkhar by the Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) Youth Wing after conducting an inspection to few shopping malls in the city.
According to the leaders, the two shopping malls however are yet to set up such internal complaint committees due to lack of knowledge about the existing Act, which seeks to protect women employees from any harassment in workplaces.
The inspection was also conducted after the recent incident where female workers were harassed by a garment shop owner, who was apprehended and beaten up by local NGOs.
“We have urged the government to direct companies and individual business set ups which are employing women workers to have the ICC in place to ensure their rights are protected,” KHNAM youth wing president Thomas Passah told reporters after the meeting.
He said, “Such ICC has been mandated as per clause 4 of the Sexual Harrasment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013 passed by the Parliament.”
Pointing at the growing unemployment problem in the state, Passah said, “Private organizations and companies have become an option for livelihood to the local people,” adding “However, the ICC is yet to be implemented here.”
When asked, the president said, “The DC has assured the delegation that he would look into the demand. He also informed that he would have to examine whether any notification to such business establishments have been issued earlier by his office or not.”
“In case there is none, we have urged the DC to issue notification directing the business establishments to comply with the Act in letter and spirit,” he added.
Meanwhile, the KHNAM has also urged the women folks who are engaged as workers in such private business establishments to come forward and register complaints against any kind of harassments on them.
“We also warned such employers to ensure they treat female workers with respect,” Passah said.-By Our Reporter
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