Kerala: System to check abuse in limbo

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The most potent weapon the law has provided to protect highly vulnerable women workers in the unorganised sector from sexual harassment seems to have been dumped. The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, mandates the setting up of local complaints committee in each district to receive complaints.

Most of the 14 districts in the state have not constituted a local complaints committee (LCC). Some districts, like Thrissur and Palakkad, have formed the LCC but have failed to take the subsequent steps like appointing nodal officers at taluk, block and gram panchayat levels.

The LCCs will have been a source of succour for construction workers, domestic servants and sales girls; three groups highly vulnerable against sexual abuse. District collectors seem to have only a vague idea. Pathanamthitta collector S Harikishore said that such a committee was formed a year ago but he is not sure whether those in the unorganized sector are aware of its existence.

Only one complaint has been registered in the district so far. Advocate Sandhya Raju of Human Rights Legal Network said that formation of the LCC is only a fraction of the job done. “The system will work only if the unorganised sector workers are made aware of such a system and its processes,” Sandhya said.

Palakkad collector P Marykutty said that an LCC had been set up in the district. “I don’t know thew number of cases that have been registered with the LCC,” she said. The LCCs should have been in place at least by the middle of 2014. Though the LCCs have only recommendatory power, it is felt that the body can empower women in distress.

“The LCC can support and guide victims. It can ensure that women who file complaints are not victimised in future. Had these bodies been functional, we might have even seen a spurt in harassment complaints,” said Seena, an advocate based in Thrissur.