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Annpurna Devi Leads National Push for Safer Workplaces for Women

Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annpurna Devi will lead a national conference on workplace safety for women, beginning with the administration of a National Workplace Safety Pledge. The conference will highlight the SHe-Box portal, a secure platform for filing harassment complaints launched in 2024. It aims to strengthen the implementation of the POSH Act and promote a positive workplace culture through awareness and compliance. The event will bring together over 1,500 participants from government, private organizations, and international bodies.

Key Points: National Conference on Women's Workplace Safety Begins

  • National Workplace Safety Pledge
  • SHe-Box portal gains highlighted
  • 1,500+ participants from 100+ orgs
  • Focus on POSH Act compliance
3 min read

Annpurna Devi to spearhead national conference on women's workplace safety tomorrow

Union Minister Annpurna Devi spearheads a national conference on the SHe-Box portal and POSH Act implementation for safer workplaces.

"Safety at the workplace is not a privilege, but the right of every woman. - Annpurna Devi"

New Delhi, Feb 13

Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annpurna Devi will lead discussions on the creation of safe, dignified and harassment-free workplaces for women across sectors at a national conference beginning here on Saturday, an official said.

At the 'National Conference on Safety of Women at Workplace (SHe-Box)', being organised by the Ministry, Minister Annpurna Devi will administer a National Workplace Safety Pledge, according to an official statement.

An international roundtable with UN agencies and multilateral institutions on global best practices in workplace safety will also be held, bringing together around 1,500 participants from more than 100 government and private organisations.

On the eve of the conference, the Minister highlighted the gains from the SHe-Box portal, launched in 2024, to register online and confidential complaints under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act).

In a message on social media, Annpurna Devi said: "The SHe-Box provides an empowering means for women to file complaints of sexual harassment at the workplace securely, confidentially and with confidence."

She added: "Safety at the workplace is not a privilege, but the right of every woman. Let us join hands with policymakers, leaders and pioneers of change to participate in the National Conference on Safety of Women at Workplace (SHe-Box) and take a solid step towards building a safe and dignified work environment."

The Ministry said the conference is an endeavour to reaffirm the government's commitment to ensuring the creation of safe, dignified and harassment-free workplaces for all women across sectors and to strengthen the implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.

The discussions are aimed at promoting a positive workplace culture through awareness of POSH rights, enhancing compliance, increasing adoption of SHe-Box, and reinforcing India's leadership in advancing safe and dignified workplaces, the statement said.

The conference will include an opening plenary, national and international roundtables, the launch of the SHe-Box logo, a nationwide POSH training video, IEC materials, and access to POSH training available on Karmayogi Bharat for citizens.

The Ministry of Women and Child Development launched the SHe-Box portal on August 29, 2024, as a secure, user-friendly and multilingual single-window platform with strict confidentiality. It allows online complaint filing, automatic forwarding to the concerned Internal or Local Committee, and real-time tracking to enhance transparency and accountability in assisting stakeholders for the effective implementation of the POSH Act.

The portal also serves as a resource hub, enabling workplaces to upload compliance-related information, including committee details, annual reports, and awareness and training initiatives.

Others who will attend the conference include Minister of State for Women and Child Development Savitri Thakur, senior government officials from Central Ministries and Departments and States and UTs, chairpersons and members of Internal Committees and Local Committees, nodal officers, representatives of international organisations, industry leaders and civil society representatives.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

A
Arjun K
Good to see the government taking this seriously. A safe workplace is fundamental. The real test will be in implementation and ensuring complaints are resolved swiftly without victim-blaming. The tracking feature on the portal sounds promising.
S
Sarah B
As someone who has worked in both India and the US, I appreciate the effort to bring in global best practices. Cultural change is slow, but such platforms and high-level discussions are essential to shift mindsets. The multilingual aspect of the portal is crucial.
R
Rohit P
While the intent is good, we need to ensure this doesn't become another "box-ticking" exercise for companies. The Internal Committees in many offices are just for show. Accountability and consequences for non-compliance must be strict.
K
Kavya N
Finally! This is so needed. My sister faced harassment at her previous job and had no clue how to proceed. A centralized, confidential portal can give so many women the courage to speak up. Jai Hind! 💪
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Vikram M
A national pledge is a good symbolic start, but the focus should be on the unorganized sector—factories, shops, farms—where most of our women work and are most vulnerable. Hope the conference has concrete plans for them.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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