Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace-Issues and Challenges

Abstract

Sexual harassment is a serious manifestation of sex discrimination at the workplace and a violation of human rights as well as fundamental rights cherished in the Constitution of India. It is yet another form of violence against women reflecting patriarchal mindsets and gender based discrimination that women experiences at work. It is also an expression of power relations, as women are much more likely to be the victims of sexual harassment because of their already existing vulnerability, insecurity, and social conditioning to accept discrimination in silence.A range of initiatives to combat sexual harassment at workplace have been conceived at the national and global levels, including by the International Labour Organization. The Indian Supreme Court in Vishaka case acknowledged Sexual Harassment at the workplace as a human rights violation. Keeping in lieu, the increase in the number of cases of Sexual Harassment faced by women, on 23rd April, 2013, a comprehensive legislation called ‘The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition & Redressal) Act, 2013’ was finally brought into force, these have inclined to conceptualize sexual harassment as a form of sex discrimination and a manifestation of violence against women.Despite this impressive progress, more work is needed to shift people’s attitudes toward supporting victims and holding perpetrators accountable; there is a strong need to strengthen the Sexual Harassment Act.In this background, the aim of this paper is an attempt to address the issues and challenges relating to sexual harassment and the level of effective implementation of present legislation and also to suggest some remedial measures