Arathi S Nath : SHeBox and online complaint registration
A safe and secure workplace is an important factor for a nation’s development. Women have to feel safe and secure from any kind of sexual harassment at their workplace, in order to get the most productive results from them.
Sexual harassment at the workplace can be considered as one of the violent crimes against women in the country. It simply indicates the presence of the silly male chauvinism over women gaining power.
To provide a common and most simple form of grievance redressal to women of all category all over India, the Central government had come up with an initiative called as SHe-Box (Sexual Harassment Electronic Box), a facility which should be given more publicity and which should be known by each and every working woman of our country.
This facility was brought up by the Government of India to provide single window access to every woman, irrespective of her work status, whether working in an organized or unorganized, public or private sector, to give them a helping hand and facilitate the registration of complaint related to sexual harassment at workplace. The complaint registered with the SHe-box will be directed to the authority concerned having jurisdiction to look into the matter and take necessary steps.
The initiative is a part of the enactment of the SH Act ( Sexual Harassment at Workplace ( Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act,2013, to create a peaceful working environment for women.
The act defines the term ‘sexual harassment’ includes any one or more of the following unwelcome acts or behaviour (whether directly or indirectly or by implications) namely[1]–
- Physical contact and advances; or
- A demand or request for sexual favours; or
- Making sexually coloured remarks; or
- Showing pornography; or
- Any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature.
While the term ‘workplace’ in Vishaka Guidelines, laid down by the Supreme Court in the case of Vishaka and others v. State of Rajasthan(1997), is confined to the traditional office set-up where there is a clear employee-employer relationship, the Act goes much broader with the term by including organizations, department, office, branch unit etc., in both public and private sector, organized and unorganized sector, hospitals, nursing homes, educational institutions, sports institutes, and any place visited by the employee woman during the course of employment including during transportation.
All that a woman need before filing a complaint with the SHe-Box is a valid e-mail ID.
Now let’s see how to register a complaint on the portal.
- Go to the website of SHe-Box on http://www.shebox.nic.in.
- Click on the ‘Register Your Complaint’ option.
- On the next Page, click on the type of the office i.e., whether (government/private) where the alleged act occurred.
- A complaint registration form will be displayed on the selection of the office type.
- Fill all the necessary details asked about your personal details and about the organization. A brief description of the incident should also be entered.
- A confirmation message will be sent to the given mail id
- The message contains a link to open a user account with SHe-Box, using the mail id as user ID.
- Generate a password to view the status of the complaint.
In my opinion, due efforts has to be put in to publicize the knowledge about the portal and the employers should give a brief idea about such schemes available for the women working at their organization
References
- What is SHe-Box? Everything about govt portal for complaints of sexual harassment at work, THE STATESMAN available at https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thestatesman.com/what-is/she-box-everything-govt-portal-complaints-sexual-harassment-work-1502695131.html/amp
- http://www.shebox.nic.in/user/about_shebox
- Sexual Harassment at Workplace (Prevention Prohibition and Redressal) Act,2013, definition of sexual harassment available at https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.nitc.ac.in/app/webroot/img/upload/77331401.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiZ7du6u9rtAhUUOSsKHaXZC1IQFjAKegQIBhAB&usg=AOvVaw0pMUiCgoypYDE0fBhgtXPt&cshid=1608396371347
[1]Section 2(n) of Sexual Harassment at Workplace (Prevention Prohibition and Redressal) Act,2013, definition of sexual harassment available at https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.nitc.ac.in/app/webroot/img/upload/77331401.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiZ7du6u9rtAhUUOSsKHaXZC1IQFjAKegQIBhAB&usg=AOvVaw0pMUiCgoypYDE0fBhgtXPt&cshid=1608396371347
SHeBox and online complaint registration SHeBox and online complaint registration
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