Inadequacy of the POSH Act: Challenges to Implementation - In conversation with Ms. Rhoma Bhatia, Executive Director, Spherule Foundation | Swabhimaan

The Parliament took 16 years to implement the directions issued by the Supreme Court of India in 1997, in the landmark case of Visakha vs. the State of Rajasthan(“Visakha Guidelines”) to enact a law for the prevention of sexual harassment of women at the workplace. The Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act, also referred to as the PoSH Act or the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act of 2013, played a crucial role in establishing a safer workplace. Every workplace must establish an Internal Complaints Committee ("IC") in accordance with the provisions of the Act and the Regulations in order to receive and investigate complaints of sexual harassment. Yet fundamentals like the right to dignity and a secure workplace remain a long way off. Many issues, including lack of knowledge, an understaffed committee, ambiguity during hearings, societal stigma, etc., provide significant obstacles to executing the Act's core principles. This is why Swabhimaan reached out to Ms Rhoma Bhatia, the Executive Director at the Spherule Foundation, an NGO based in Pune, which has a presence in 15 states across India and in 18 Thematic Areas of Sustainable Development Goals as prescribed by UNESCO. With over 16 Years of Corporate experience in various Industries currently a Certified PoSH Enabler and External Member on IC panels in various organizations across India.