(Teerth Waraich)

The Internal Complaints Committee of Amity Law School, Delhi (affiliated to Guru Gobing Sinngh Indraprastha University, Delhi) is all set to host a National Seminar on Combating Sexual Harassment at Workplace to be held on 6th April, 2018.

You can access further details here

The Seminar will officially kick off on 6th April, 2018, with registrations for the participants commencing at 8 AM. This will be followed by the felicitation of our eminent guests such as Prof. (Dr,) Manoj Kumar Sinha, our esteemed Guest of Honour and Dr. Vivek Agnihotri, our esteemed Chief Guest which will be performed by Prof. (Dr.) Dileep Kumar Bandyopadhyay, Chariman of Amity Law Schools.

The first Plenary Session, with the theme of 'Sexual Harassment at Workplace - A Gender Issue' will be held at 10 AM under the guidance of experts such as Ms. Shipra Roy, Ms. Anju Pandey and Ms. Kuljit Kaur, with the session being moderated by our esteemed Guest of Honour, Prof. (Dr.) Manoj Kumar Sinha.

The first Technical Session, with the theme of 'Oral/Virtual On Different Themes' will commence at 11 AM, with Ms. Shipra Roy chairing the session along with the illuminating views of Ms. Anju Pandey and Ms. Kuljit Kaur.

The Sessions will then be followed by a lunch break. After lunch, there will be a second plenary session at 2 PM on the theme of 'Gaps Between Organizational Practices and Prevelance/Frequency of Sexual Harassment at Workplace/ Gender Issue which will be moderated by Dr. Devika Narula with expert opinions from Ms. Pallavi Pareek, Adv. Diljit Singh Ahluwalia and Ms. Shehla Rashid Shora.

At 3 PM, there will be a second and a thired Technical Session, which will be chaired by Dr. Devika Narula with views from Adv. Diljit Singh Ahluwalia.and Dr. Jyoti Dogra Sood (Chair), Ms. Pallavi Pareek and Ms. Shehla Rashid Shora respectively.

The Valedictory Function will commence at 4:30 PM, which will be addressed by the Hon'ble Chief Guest, Hon'ble Mr. K.T.S. Tulsi

We hope to keep you afresh of all the latest information throughout the entire day. All the best to the participants and let's all work together to tackle the issue of Sexual Harassment.

8 AM

The Registrations have begun! Participants gather approach the Registraion Desk in order to recieve a Participant's kit which will help them throughout the enitre seminar.

9 AM

The Dignitaries and Experts have started to arrive for the Seminar. The Seminar commences in an hour. Stay tuned for more updates.

10 AM

The Seminar commences with the lighting of the holy lamp and an address from the Chariman of Amity Law Schools, Prof. (Dr,) D.K. Bandyopadhyay who urges the audience to do their best to counter the scourge of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace.

10:11 AM

Dr. Vivek Agnihotri now addresses the audience on how to identify and counter sexual harassment in the workplace.

10:23 AM

Dr. Manoj Sinha now illuminates the audience as to how Amity Law School, Delhi is the first college he has come across that has given its Internal Complaints Committtee the freedom and opportunity to organize such an event. 

10:26 AM

Dr. Manoj Sinha further gives weight to the importance of the Internal Complaints Committee in educational institutions and how imperative they are in order to counter sexual harassment.

10:30 AM

Dr. Manoj Sinha mentions the sad situation as to how the number of cases of students are filing against their teachers is now at a maximum.

10:38 AM

The first Plenary Session commences with Ms. Anju Pandey as the moderator for the session. Ms. Anju Pandey is highly qualified in her field with her achievements including being the Programme Officer for the UN Women Office for Bhutan, India, Maldives and Sri Lanka.

10:48 AM

Ms. Anju Pandey commences her address and emphasizes on how the issue needs to be addressed in terms of gender, and how women and girls are put in a more dangerous situation in comparison to boys.

10:54 AM

Ms. Anju Pandey further talks about the need to understand the difference between harassment and sexual harassment and they journey that a girl who has been victimized goes through.

10:57 AM

Ms. Pandey highlights how men and boys are assumed and generalised to be perpetrators of such crimes

11:02 AM

Ms. Pandey criticizes people who complain about the fact that the laws to curb sexual harassment are too strict and says that the laws empower women on how they want to be percieved by men.

11:05 AM

Ms. Anju Pnadey further mentions that a complaint starts with discrimination but if one scratches the surface, below lies sexual harassment.

11:09 AM

Ms. Kuljit Kaur now addresses the audience and explains the Supreme Court's stance on sexual harassment and talks about how no actual physical contact is essential for the act to amount to sexual harassment.

11:12 AM

Ms. Kuljit Kaur explains how the ICC reduces the harassment that a victim faces while reporting a crime and also talks the opposition the Act faced for not being gender neutral, which implies that boys too can be victims of sexual harassment.

11:22 AM

Ms. Shipra Roy now addresses the audience and enlists the various steps taken by the Government of India in the respect of the Sexual Harassment. She also guides the audience through the main provisions of the Act

11:27 AM

Ms. Roy explains the various methods in the Act to secure environment for women in the workplace and also the capacity building and awareness programs undertaken by the Government of India and also congratulated ALSD for conducting such a seminar, with a hope that other universities will follow this step.

11:35 AM

Tea Break

12:15 PM

The Technical Session commences. The first participant is Dr. Sandhya Kumari from UPES presents her paper on reporting behaviour of the victim from the aspect of the employer. 

12:16 PM

She talks about the unawareness among people and further states that the employees should be sensitive towards victims.

12:21 PM 

Tejas Pratap Singh from Galgotias University now presents his paper and elaborates upon the causes of sexual harassment.

12:25 PM

The Speaker speaks about the legal definition of sexual harassment.

12:26 PM

Mr. Uttpal Dhawey from Amity University, Jodhpur presents his paper and states that women get unfair treatment at workplace.

12:28 PM

He further says that only 5-10% women report cases.

12:32 PM

Mr. Vaibhav Raj Pandey from Banaras University presents his paper talks about Article 14,19, and 20 of the Constitution.

12:38 PM

The Speaker makes a heartfelt appeal to be the change you wish to see in the world.

12:54 PM

Bhawna Gandhi from Amity Law School Noida presents her paper by starting with an appeal to talk about sexual harassment and understand its gravity.

12:55 PM

She thanks the Internal Complaints Committee of Amity Law School for organizing the seminar,

1:01 PM

She conlcudes by saying since we are the youth we need to create awareness through legal aid camps.

1:26 PM

The Guests and Experts convey gratitude to all the speakers for their spirited analysis on the extremely important issue of Combating Sexual Harrassment in the Workplace

1:34 PM

The Audience gets involved in an interactive session with the participants and the experts about the grave issue.

2 PM

The Technical Session concludes for lunch.

2:40 PM

The second Plenary Session commences chaired by Dr. Devika Narula with views from Adv. Diljit Singh Ahluwalia and Ms. Pallavi Pareek

3:03 PM

Ms. Pallavi Pareek starts her address and laments that ICC does not usually have women heads because women themselves are not very aware about this particular problem. She also appeals for further sensitization and says that raising awareness is an organizational challenge.

3:10 PM

A highly interesting panel discussion is ongoing, with Ms. Jyoti Dogra passing the mic on to Mr. Diljit Singh Ahluwalia

3:12 PM

Mr. Diljit Singh Ahluwalia states that the object of the Act was to get people another forum than going to the police all the time where the requirement of evidence makes it a very difficult and lengthy process.

3:13 PM

Mr. Ahluwalia further explains that the attitude and advances of persons are a matter of perception and something which one does is usually a sexually advance for the other.

3:26 PM

Ms. Jyoti Dogra emphasises on 'ungendering' in a reference to Ms. Pareekh's organization and praises her.

3:27 PM

Ms. Shehla Rashid now addresses the audience. She explains that we are the products of our nature and that it's not only about men, even women have to take collective responsibilty.

3:29 PM

Ms. Rashid further lays emphasis on Gender Sensitization. She explains that the aim should not be to send men to jail but it should be to create an environment where women don't feel included.

3:31 PM

Ms. Rashid praises the ICC Seminar and says that the gender balance in the seminar has inspired her and she also repeatedly states the importance of representation. Ms. Rashid illustrates the aim of the ICC which is to create an environment where there is no need for ICC.

3:33 PM

Ms. Rashid makes it clear that sexual harrassment is an issue for three genders and there is a need to expand the ambit of the Act.

3:36 PM

Ms. Rashid time and again stresses on the importance of GS-CASH i.e. Gender Sensitization and Committee against Sexual Harassment.

3:39 PM

Ms. Jyoti Dogra addresses the audience and gives the example of the TISS Gender Neutral Hostel as a first in Indian History. She also stresses upon the importance of combating sexual harassment in the unorganized sector.

3:40 PM

With that, the second Plenary Session concludes. After a small break, the second Technical Session will commence

4:05 PM

The second Technical Session commences with speaker Ms. Divya Shokeen making a case for Confidentiality and the GPRS tracking of cars as ways to prevent sexual harassment against women. 

4:07 PM

She also does a comparitive analysis of laws in India and the USA in which she cites the case against Clarence Thomas.

4:09 PM 

The Speaker states that India has done exceedingly well on the legislative front in the aftermath of the Vishakha case that caused a huge uproar.

4:12 PM

The second Speaker, Ms. Isha makes a more cautious analysis and states that situational analysis doesn't reflect significant advancement of women. She then further explains what Sexual Harrassment is elaborates upon its types.

4:13 PM

The Speaker talks about the importance of Social Media as movement against sexual harassment and references the #MeToo movement. She also states the importance of men supporting women in these movements.

4:17 PM

The Next Speaker from the Faculty of Law, Delhi University looks at the issue from a sociological point of view and says that the issue is about the power in position and power in pain. He further adds that there is a huge pay between men and women and that are only 8% women in power at the Corporate level. He also states that companies overlook the Companies Act's requirement of a woman director.

4:19 PM

Mr. Parikshit Bajaj from USLLS pays an homage to women and likens them to strong warriors who fight for birth, then nourishment, then education and then at the workplace. He states that there is an imbalance of sociological and subordinate superior relationship. 

 4:30 PM

The second Technical Session has been concluded. Our Chief Guest for the Valedictory Ceremony Mr. K.T.S. Tulsi have arrived. The Valedictory Ceremony will begin in a short while.

5:00 PM

The Valedictory Ceremony commences with the felicitation of the Chief Guest, Hon'ble Mr. K.T.S. Tulsi by Prof. (Dr.) D.K. Bandyopadhyay through the presentation of the Tulsi Plant.

5:11 PM

Prof. (Dr.) D.K. Bandyopadhyay, Chariman of Amity Law Schools, addresses the Valedictory Ceremony and congratulates the ICC for organinzing this first of a kind seminar.

5:20 PM 

Shri Mr. K.T.S. Tulsi addresses the the participants and the experts to share his views on how to combat Sexual Harassment in the Workplace. 

5:35 PM

Ms. Bhavana Rao give the Vote of Thanks to mark the end of this first of the kind seminar. The event concludes on the note of hope and aspiration that an effective solution to combat sexual harassment in the workplace will be arrived at soon enough. We hope to see you all next year! Thank you for reading this blog. This is your blogger, Teerth waraich, signing off.