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POLICY : WOMEN CELL

Gender Equity and Women Empowerment are the most important requirements for the upliftment of the female section of the society and the progress of our nation. Accordingly, the Women Cell in Jatindra-Rajendra Mahavidyalaya has both the faculty and non-teaching fraternity of the College as its members (eight among them being females) to work together with an aim to create a gender-sensitized community. It has been organizing various skill-enhancing, academic, cultural and social events for the promotion of the significance of gender equality in society, in association with the students of the college, ever since its establishment.

The College has constituted an Internal Complaint Cell (ICC), comprising 3 female and 12 male members, as per the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act and Rule 2013. Having raised the bar of responsibility and accountability in the Vishaka Guidelines, the Supreme Court placed an obligation on workplaces, institutions and those in positions of responsibility, to uphold working women’s fundamental right to equality and dignity at the workplace. Three key obligations were imposed on institutions to meet that standard – Prohibition, Prevention and Redress. In 2013, the Government of India notified the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act. Consistent with the Vishaka judgment, the Act aspires to ensure women’s right to workplace equality and protection from sexual harassment through compliance with the above mentioned three elements. It is important to note that the Act provides a civil remedy to women in addition to other laws that are currently in force. Consequently, any woman who wishes to report instances of sexual harassment at the workplace has the right to take recourse to both civil and criminal proceedings. All of these obligations are fulfilled through the founding and smooth functioning of the Internal Complaint Committee in our college.

Unfortunately, no gender audit committee has been constituted yet but the college has a functional Internal Complaint Cell, Sexual Harassment Committee, Women Cell and Grievance Redressal Cell to reach out to its female students and employees and establish their claim to equal rights along with men. Women, forming almost half of the entire population, are in need of greater representation to vindicate the fact that instead of remaining circumscribed by their sexual identity, they have every moral right to assert their human identity. Accordingly, to address gender issues with utmost sensitivity, these committees and cells have been instrumental in raising awareness about several challenges women face even today in our androcentric society. Our institution was established at a time in the mid-eighties when the issue of gender was not much of a concern especially in a remote region like ours, considering the time when it was set up. Obviously when gender became a major parameter for institutional governance, institutional leadership stepped forward. Although it cannot be said that we have attained perfection in this field and much has to be implemented yet efforts are in progress to constitute a gender audit committee and analyze gender equilibrium and androgynous set-up in our institution based on relevant parameters.

OBJECTIVES OF THE WOMEN CELL

To ensure the well-being of women, the conveners along with the other members of the above-mentioned cells are striving to realize the following objectives:

a) Provide a congenial environment to enable girls/women to pursue their work with a strong sense of dignity and reassurance on the campus of the college.

b) Raise awareness on gender equity issues.

c) Resist gender discrimination and inappropriate sexual conduct (mental/ physical/ emotional abuse).

d) Demystify the aura of the private sphere and facilitate the entry of women into the public domain.

e) Promote gender sensitivity and women empowerment.

f) Ensure the safety and security of the female students and employees (taking strict action against reported cases of ragging and harassment).