The 21st Century; a time of significant improvements in technologies, revolutions in industries and the way business is done. We have cars that are autonomous. We have computers that can outsmart our best Chess and Go players. And we have so much information and education flying across the air and through the ground. Yet there is a large portion of society, especially in India that does not have access to the protection granted by our Constitution.
One of the greatest crises to the Indian Growth Story is the lack of information, and implementation, of measures to keep Women safe. We have made significant headway; today, more than ever, we have the largest participation of the fairer sex in Business and Industry. But it’s still not enough. The workplace can be a threatening place for women. As per studies conducted by Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI), in association with Complykaro Services Pvt. Ltd., 98.38%[1] of companies did not comply in toto with The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.
Complykaro has been working to sensitize the corporate sector for the past 2 years. Today, we are fortunate enough to have tied up with one of the premier bodies for women empowerment in Maharashtra; Maharashtra State Commission for Women (MSCW). Tasked with the directive to improve the status and dignity of women in the society and to effectively monitor and implement laws affecting women, they had identified the lack of awareness of University Grants Commission (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal of Sexual Harassment of Women and Student in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2015 in universities and colleges across Maharashtra.
With the goal to create effective change from an early age, Complykaro in association with MSCW are currently striving to educate maximum Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) members to implement the latest regulations in their respective institutes. This is to make a campus a safer place not only for women, but students of all gender. Educating them about what constitutes Sexual Harassment and how to prevent it. It helps these students enter the work place armed with the consciousness to create a safe and healthy work environment for all. In effect, we are attempting to nip the problem in the bud.
In light of this mandate and to further the cause of safety of women and students in general, Complykaro in association with MSCW in the 1st Phase is organising a series of Full Day Seminars across Universities in Maharashtra wherein about 10,000 ICC members and Principals of Universities and Colleges are trained and educated with respect to various aspects of the aforesaid UGC regulations. These seminars are personally conducted by Mr. Vishal Kedia, Founder and Director, Complykaro who is an eminent authority and expert trainer on the subject. These ICC members / trainers shall in turn train their colleagues as well as sensitise their respective faculties and student community. This is the largest exercise of ICC Training ever conducted in India till date. We will have successfully conducted training programmes for ICC members and Principals in Nagpur, Nashik, Nanded, Jalgaon, Pune, Solapur, Kolhapur, Amravati, Chandrapur, Mumbai and Aurangabad by the end of February.
The UGC Regulations have built upon the Act to further improve coverage and take steps to help mitigate the risk of harassment. The highlighted extensions are,
- Gender neutral complaints are accepted from students
- Broad based composition of ICC including students
- HEIs to implement several support measures to prevent sexual harassment
Due to this large scale sensitization, students would be well-informed and secured. They would be able to fully understand the impact and consequences of their actions, whether intended innocently or not and thus create a more conducive environment at work. MSCW has launched an initiative; PUSH – People United against Sexual Harassment in association with Complykaro to ensure effective implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 as well as the said UGC Regulations across Maharashtra.
“We truly believe that Universities and Colleges can play an important and vital role in educating students about the ills of sexual harassment during the formative stage of their journey towards adulthood so that they become better citizens of Incredible India.” states Mr. Kedia
By solving this crisis, we can create an immediate revolution at the work place. We firmly believe that industry can benefit from an instant productivity boost that comes through the form of a more conducive work environment. We can increase GDP growth by 1.4 percentage points annually till 2025 by increasing women participation in the workforce by 10 percentage points (68 million more women workers)[2].
About the Author
Vishal Kedia, Founder and Director, Complykaro is the visionary and moving force behind envisaging a movement which revolutionizes how companies view and implement legal compliance. Through Complykaro, Vishal seeks to unify 3 main verticals namely consultancy, training and technology; to work unitedly towards empowering corporates with the means conducive for higher levels of productivity, namely secure environs.
