Sexual Harassment Policy

Preamble

To prevent sexual harassment of women at workplace, the onus lies on the employers and the institutions to protect the rights of its women employees, prevent their exploitation , ensure gender equity and treat women employees with respect. Sexual harassment is a clear violation of women right under Articles 14 and 15, her right to live with dignity under Article 21 and a right to work with dignity in a safe environment under Article 19 (1) (g) of the Constitution of India. The Supreme Court of India has laid down the Vishakha guidelines to protect against sexual harassment at the workplace.

In this regard, Sri Devaraj Urs Academy of Higher Education and Research and its constituent unit, Sri Devaraj Urs Medical College, being an educational institution, adopts this policy in order to prevent, prohibit and punish sexual harassment at the workplace. The policy upholds that every women employee shall have the right to work in a work place which is free from any form of sexual harassment.

Definition of Sexual Harassment:

The following are considered as sexual harassment of women:

1. Physical contact and sexual advances
2. Demand or request for sexual favors
3. Sexually colored remarks
4. Showing pornography
5. Any other unwelcome physical / verbal or nonverbal conduct of sexual nature.

Objectives

• To protect women’s rights, to guard against sexual harassments and the right to livelihood.
• To provide congenial working atmosphere for women that will prevent acts of sexual harassment against women.
• To have a redressal mechanism by constituting a committee wherein complaints of women employees pertaining to sexual harassment will be heard.
• To implement appropriate disciplinary action in the cases of sexual harassments which come up for hearing in the committee.
• To create awareness regarding sexual harassment of women in the work place.

Gender Harassment Monitoring Committee