India: Sexual Harassment at Workplace: Indian Government Constitutes GoM to Improve Present Legislative Framework

The Government of India on October 24, 2018 constituted a Group of Ministers (GoM) for the purpose of strengthening and improving the present legal and institutional framework including the key legislation- The Sexual Harassment of Women (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, for redressing and preventing instances of sexual harassment at workplace.

The GoM will be chaired by the Union Minister of India- Mr. Rajnath Singh and will comprise the following members- (a) Mr. Nitin Gadkari (Ministry of Road Transport and Highways; Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, and Ministry of Shipping); (b) Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman (Ministry of Defense); and (c) Ms. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi (Ministry of Women & Child Development).

The GoM will be responsible for examining the present legislative and institutional framework that is in place for redressing issues in relation to sexual harassment at workplace. The GoM will also be responsible for providing appropriate recommendations for strengthening and improving the existing framework and for laying down an extensive plan of action and that it is implemented in a time bound manner. The GoM has been given a time frame of three months from the date of its constitution to analyze the law and provide appropriate and effective recommendations in this regard.