Sexual Harassment at Workplace: UGC writes to vice-chancellors, college principals to sensitize employees

University Grants Commission (UGC) has written to vice-chancellors and college principals to sanitize their employees about the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.

“I request you to conduct a special drive to review the pending cases if any and take appropriate action before December 9. The details of program/activities conducted by your institution may be provided to the gender sensitization division of UGC by December 11, 2022,” the UGC secretary’s letter to vice-chancellors of universities and principals of colleges read.

It is pertinent to mention that UGC had notified the UGC (Prevention, prohibition, and redressal of sexual harassment of women employees and students in higher educational institutions) Regulations, 2015. These regulations clearly state the responsibilities of higher educational institutions, grievance redressal mechanism, the process for making complaints and conducting inquiry interim redressal, punishment, and compensation, consequences of non-compliance, etc. The regulations are statutory in nature and binding for universities and colleges.

The protection against sexual harassment and the right to work with dignity are universally recognized human rights by international conventions and instruments such as the Convention of the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against women, ratified on June 25, 1993.