Module 7 (I year)

The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, commonly known as the POSH Act, was passed by the Indian government in 2013. Its primary purpose is to protect women from sexual harassment in their place of work and provide a mechanism for redressal.

Defining Sexual Harassment

Under the POSH Act, sexual harassment is defined as any one or more of the following unwelcome acts or behaviours, whether committed directly or indirectly:

Inclusion in the workplace refers to the practice of including people with respect and love, ensuring that every member of an organisation has the same chances to grow in their career. While diversity is about hiring people from different backgrounds, inclusivity is the "magic ingredient" or "electricity" that makes a diverse workforce functional; without it, an atmosphere of respect cannot exist, and employees may hesitate to share their ideas.

Diversity in the workplace refers to an organisation where people of different sex, gender, caste, class, age, physical appearance, education, and abilities work together in a safe and respectful environment. A diverse workplace is one where employees from many different backgrounds are hired and are able to contribute to the company's success.

Importance of Diversity

Having a diverse workforce provides several key benefits to an organisation:

Gender equality means that, regardless of gender, all people have the same rights, access to resources, and opportunities. While equality generally means treating everyone the same way in the same situation, true gender equality also involves fair and correct actions based on the fact that some people have historically faced more discrimination.

Gender-based discrimination refers to the practice of treating someone differently specifically on the basis of their gender. While discrimination, in general, can be based on various factors like caste, religion, or skin colour, gender-based discrimination specifically focuses on gender and can affect both men and women, though women frequently face more instances of it in society.

Examples of Gender-Based Discrimination

Discrimination on the basis of gender manifests in several key sectors:

Gender stereotypes refer to the fixed ideas or thoughts that society or people have about someone based on their sex. While sex refers to the physical body and organs one is born with, gender refers to the expectations society forces upon people based on that sex.

Common Gender Stereotypes

Stereotyping often begins at birth, influenced by everything from the clothes children wear to the toys they play with. Common examples include:

Diversity in the workplace refers to an organisation where people of different sex, gender, caste, class, age, physical appearance, education, and abilities work together in a safe and respectful environment. Having a diverse workforce is important because it brings together different perspectives, which increases creativity and innovation, leads to more customers, and improves customer satisfaction.

However, there are several barriers to diversity, including: