Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annpurna Devi on Friday, 17 July inaugurated the National Commission for Women's (NCW) two-day National Awareness Programme on the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 — commonly known as the POSH Act — at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. The Minister underscored that dignified, safe workplaces are central to women-led national development.

Key Developments

The two-day programme, convened by the NCW, brought together senior government officials, legal experts, representatives of Internal Committees (ICs) and Local Committees (LCs), civil society organisations, and other stakeholders. The gathering was aimed at strengthening both awareness and on-the-ground implementation of the POSH Act across sectors.

At the event, Annpurna Devi released a Booklet on Inquiry Procedures for Internal Committees and Local Committees under the POSH Act, prepared by the NCW. The booklet is designed to serve as a practical, step-by-step guide for conducting fair, transparent, and time-bound inquiries — a gap that has long been flagged by compliance practitioners and legal experts.

What the Government Said

Addressing delegates, the Union Minister emphasised that every woman holds the right to work with dignity and without fear, and that building a safe work environment is a shared responsibility of governments, employers, and institutions alike. She highlighted several initiatives undertaken by the Ministry of Women and Child Development to strengthen POSH Act implementation, noting that these efforts are helping organisations better understand their legal obligations and establish effective institutional mechanisms for prevention and redressal.

Annpurna Devi further noted that strengthening workplace safety is fundamental to increasing women's participation in the workforce and achieving inclusive national development — a point that connects POSH compliance directly to broader economic participation goals.

NCW Chairperson's Message

NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar, in a social media post, said: 'It's time to know your rights against sexual harassment at the workplace, understand your responsibilities, and raise your voice against injustice.' She added that 'awareness is the first and most important step towards prevention,' describing the programme as a necessary step in building safer workplaces for women across India.

Why It Matters

Despite the POSH Act being over a decade old — enacted in 2013 — implementation gaps persist, particularly in the unorganised sector and smaller enterprises where Internal Committees are either absent or non-functional. This is the NCW's latest effort to close that gap through structured outreach. Notably, the release of the inquiry procedure booklet signals a push toward procedural standardisation, which experts argue is critical for ensuring that complaints are handled consistently and lawfully.

As India seeks to raise female labour force participation — currently among the lower rates in Asia — robust enforcement of the POSH Act is increasingly seen as a structural prerequisite rather than a compliance checkbox.

What Comes Next

The programme is scheduled to run over two days, with sessions covering legal responsibilities, committee functioning, and redressal mechanisms. Stakeholders are expected to carry awareness and updated procedural guidance back to their respective organisations and districts. The NCW's booklet will serve as a reference document for ICs and LCs going forward.