From Preparation to Implementation: A Training Programme on Gender Sensitization and Sexual Harassment at a PSU in India

Author

Deepak Sharma

Chandra Prakash Purohit

Abstract

This paper is based upon a training session conducted on Gender Sensitization and Prevention of Sexual Harassment in India’s flagship national oil company. The Vishaka Guidelines as well as The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 have made it mandatory for all organisations to organise workshops and awareness programmes at regular intervals, to sensitise employees on the issues and implications of workplace sexual harassment and take initiatives towards organising orientation programmes for members of the Internal Complaints Committee. The paperdiscusses the entire process that took place for conducting a training programme at XYZ Unit of an Oil PSU from training need analysis to implementation and evaluation of the training programme. The training programme was conducted in four sessions in a day long training workshop for participants involving regional managers, department heads and location-in-charges. The key challenge faced by the author as a trainer was keeping the attention alive of the participants since such training is a mandatory requirement for all the employees and it is difficult to keep them motivated throughout the training as it also
requires understanding of statutory compliances as well as judgements.

Introduction:

Training on Gender Sensitization and Prevention of Sexual Harassment is one of the most important compliance training initiatives for all organisations in India. It helps in educating employees to raise awareness about sexual harassment at the workplace, which is one of the most common forms of misconduct, to ensure and develop a culture of respect for women in organisations.

The Supreme Court, in its landmark judgement of Vishaka & Ors v. State of Rajasthan & Ors in 1997, set some procedural guidelines for use in case of sexual harassment. These guidelines are popularly known as Vishaka Guidelines. The Vishaka Guidelines have made it mandatory for all companies to organise workshops and awareness programmes at regular intervals, to sensitise employees on the issues and implications of workplace sexual harassment and organise orientation programmesfor members of the Internal Complaints Committee.

This paper is based on a training session conducted on Gender Sensitization and Prevention of Sexual Harassment in India’s flagship national oil company, with a 33,000-strong workforce. It is the first among all Indian enterprises in the prestigious Fortune ‘Global 500’ listing for the year 2015.

Read Full Article