TV
In the wake of intense outrage following the death of a girl student following self-immolation at Fakir Mohan Autonomous College, the Odisha government has launched a sweeping drive to reinforce compliance with the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, commonly known as the POSH Act, across all educational institutions and government offices.
In a notification issued on July 18, the Odisha government ordered all universities and colleges to conduct mandatory sensitisation workshops on the POSH Act and related UGC regulations within three days.
The Women’s Helpline number 181 must also be prominently displayed at all strategic locations across campuses and workplaces, the notice directed.
“The State is committed to ensuring the safety, dignity, and empowerment of women across educational and professional environments,” wrote Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja in a letter to all departments and district administrations.
“There must be urgency and diligence in upholding the law in both letter and spirit,” the letter added.
Broad Push for Awareness and Structural Reform
The latest measures build upon a flurry of orders issued since July 14, including instructions to constitute Internal Committees (ICs) in all government offices, schools, and colleges as mandated under the Act.
The Odisha government has also urged the onboarding of all ICs onto the SHe-Box (Sexual Harassment Electronic Box) portal, a national platform for registering workplace harassment complaints across both public and private sectors.
New IEC Tools and Mandatory Display Guidelines
To support the campaign, the W&CD Department has developed and circulated a standardised “Do’s and Don’ts” IEC (Information, Education, and Communication) board outlining key behaviours that constitute harassment and how to prevent them. All government offices, schools, and colleges have been asked to install these at multiple conspicuous locations.
As part of a corrective move, the State has now tasked revenue divisional commissioners, district collectors, and urban local bodies to enforce the directives and report compliance.
