Medicover Hospitals celebrates 10th anniversary of pro-women Act

HYDERABAD: City-based Medicover Hospitals organised a fireside chat event on Saturday to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Prevention of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013.

The chat, titled "A Decade of Prevention of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013: What has been achieved and what remains!", featured distinguished women representatives from various fields and professions.

During the discussion, the panellists extensively discussed the impact of the Act and the positive changes it has brought over the years. They also expressed concerns about the complexities involved in its implementation under different circumstances and on various grounds.

Telangana High Court judge Justice Vijaysen Reddy, the chief guest at the event, remarked, "In urban areas, particularly in corporates and multinationals, quid pro quo is common. However, in the rural sector, a hostile environment in the farm sector can create safety issues that are often overlooked due to the lack of local compliance committees. In many informal sectors, the nature of the work further complicates matters, as victims hesitate to file complaints out of fear of job loss and a hostile environment."

Shikha Goel, additional director-general of police and head of the Women Safety Wing of the Telangana State Police, discussed how the Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act has contributed to establishing a safer workplace for women in uniform. She highlighted the significant increase in the representation of women in the police force, which was only 4 per cent of the entire force just two years ago.

Other panellists included G. Srividya Reddy, chairperson of CII IWN, Telangana, Hari Chandana Dasari, IAS, director - AYUSH, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of Telangana, and Shivangi Prasad, founder of The Legal Swan, Mumbai.