Center Launches Portal To Address Workplace Sexual Harassment: Details Here

On August 29, the central government launched a special portal specifically dedicated to the protection of working women from sexual harassment. The portal, SheBox, will ensure that the complaints of sexual harassment at the workplace are registered and a streamlined investigation is conducted. Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi launched the portal. The portal aims to encourage more women to participate and thrive in the workforce and make workplaces safe and secure for women. 

As per the reports, the SheBox portal will contain all the information about government and private Internal Committees (ICs) and Local Committees (LCs) formed across the country. It will be the centralised place where complaints of sexual harassment can be registered without disclosing personal information and time-bound investigation can be undertaken. A designated nodal officer will monitor the complaint and its investigation progress.

Annapurna Devi on She Box

Speaking about the portal, Annapurna Devi said, “This initiative is a critical step forward in providing a more efficient and secure platform for addressing workplace-related sexual harassment complaints. It furthers the government’s commitment to creating a safer and more inclusive working environment for women across India.”

Bihar's new service to ensure the safety of women while travelling

In another similar step to ensure women's safety, Bihar Police's Dial 112 unit is going to launch a “Safe Travel Facility” on September 15 to provide safety to women while travelling. ADG (Wireless) Nirmal Kumar Azad launched the service and said that Bihar is going to become the third state in the country to launch such a service for women's safety. 

Dial 112 was earlier used to serve the emergency needs of the police, fire brigade and ambulance service. Now it is getting expanded with the help of technical support from C-DAC.

What is the service?

Under this service, women can contact Bihar police by dialling 112 and seek the traction of their travel. Bihar police will track their location until women reach their destination. If women express discomfort or the check-in call gets disconnected without any response, the Dial 112 Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) or local police will immediately take action.

Aims to provide women safety during the festive season

This service has been introduced ahead of festive seasons when women are mostly travelling at night. The Director General of Police, Bihar, introduced strong actions against sexual harassment of women and their safety. The DG also introduced the idea of "fearless women" which according to him can be met through the new service under Dial 112.