Shyama Prasad Mukherji College for Women

(University of Delhi)

Road No. 57, West Punjabi Bagh, Delhi 110026

Shyama Prasad Mukherji College for Women recognises the paramount importance of a policy on sexual harassment at workplace. According to notification No. Estab.II(i)/027/ACC/2006/ dated 9 January 2014 by the University of Delhi, the provisions of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (SHWWPPR Act) supersedes Ordinance XV(D): Prohibition of and Punishment for Sexual Harassment (2003) of the University. Accordingly, the University of Delhi constituted its Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) vide its notification No. Estab.II(i)/027/ACC/2006/ dated 16(17) January 2014 and directed all its colleges and institutions to constitute their own Internal Complaints Committee.

Policy on Sexual Harassment at Workplace

In accordance with the SHWWPPR Act of 2013 and the University Grants Commission (Prevention, prohibition and redressal of sexual harassment of women employees and students in higher educational institutions) Regulations, 2015, the college has put in practice a comprehensive, inclusive and sensitive policy on sexual harassment to maintain and create an academic and work environment free of sexual harassment for students, faculty, administrative and other non-teaching staff of the institution.

Sexual Harassment means:

i. “An unwanted conduct with sexual undertones if it occurs or which is persistent and which demeans, humiliates or creates a hostile and intimidating environment or is calculated to induce submission by actual or threatened adverse consequences and includes any one or more or all of the following unwelcome acts of behaviour (whether directly or by implication), namely:

a. any unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature;
b. demand or request for sexual favours;
c. making sexually coloured remarks;
d. physical contact and advances; or
e. showing pornography.”

ii. “Any one (or more than one or all) of the following circumstances, if it occurs or is present in relation or connected with any behaviour that has explicit or implicit sexual undertones:

a. implied or explicit promise of preferential treatment as quid pro quo for sexual favours;
b. implied or explicit threat of detrimental treatment in the conduct of work;
c. implied or explicit threat about the present or future status of the person concerned;
d. creating an intimidating offensive or hostile learning environment;
e. humiliating treatment likely to affect the health, safety, dignity or physical integrity of the person concerned.”

As a higher educational institute (HEI), the college recognises and publicly commits to the following responsibilities:

i. Public notification of the provisions against sexual harassment, including the college’s commitment to a zero tolerance policy towards sexual harassment to create a campus free from discrimination, harassment, retaliation or sexual assault at all levels.

ii. Regularly organising training programmes or workshops for students, faculty, administrative and other non-teaching staff of the college, as indicated in the SAKSHAM Report (Measures for Ensuring the Safety of Women and Programmes for Gender Sensitisation on Campuses) of the University Grants Commission, to sensitise them and ensure knowledge and awareness of the rights, entitlements and responsibilities enshrined in the SHWWPPR Act, 2013. Further, the college regularly organises sensitisation programmes to create awareness about what constitutes sexual harassment including hostile environment harassment and quid pro quo harassment.

iii. The college informs its students and employees through the prospectus and Notice Boards about the penalty and consequences of sexual harassment as well as the mechanism put in place for redressal of complaints pertaining to sexual harassment, including contact details of members of the Internal Complaints Committee and information regarding complaints procedure.

iv. The college is committed to act decisively against all forms of gendered identity or sexual orientation based violence perpetrated against students and employees of all sexes, including the third gender. In case the perpetrator is an employee of the college, sexual harassment shall be treated as a misconduct under service rules and legal action be initiated accordingly. In case the perpetrator is a student, sexual harassment shall be treated as a violation of the disciplinary rules leading up to rustication and expulsion.