Minister wants safety mechanisms for working women strengthened

VIJAYAWADA: Women and child welfare minister K.V. Ushasri Charan wants the strengthening of “internal complaints committees” in all government and private offices to check sexual harassment of women employees in the state.

She was participating in a meeting of the State Women’s Commission here on Thursday, which reviewed the implementation of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister maintained that the state government under the leadership of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is according top priority to the protection and welfare of women at workplaces as per directions of the Supreme Court. In addition, the state government has also launched several schemes for the empowerment of women.

Drawing a comparison with other states, Ushasri Charan felt only a few cases of sexual harassment at workplaces are being reported in AP. She said organisations from village to state level that does not have internal complaints committees as yet should set them up forthwith. This would ensure that no woman employee faces any harassment at her workplace.

The minister wanted separate washrooms for women and baby-feeding rooms for lactating mothers to be set up at workplaces in the state.

State Women Commission chairperson Vasireddy Padma wished that AP would become the model state in the country in protecting and empowering women in the country. She referred to the numerous schemes started by the Chief Minister for benefit of women in the state.

Padma underlined that the internal complaints committee should become proactive in providing protection to women employees in the state.