New Delhi, Feb 13 (IANS) Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annpurna Devi will lead discussions on the creation of safe, dignified and harassment-free workplaces for women across sectors at a national conference beginning here on Saturday, an official said.

At the ‘National Conference on Safety of Women at Workplace (SHe-Box)’, being organised by the Ministry, Minister Annpurna Devi will administer a National Workplace Safety Pledge, according to an official statement.

An international roundtable with UN agencies and multilateral institutions on global best practices in workplace safety will also be held, bringing together around 1,500 participants from more than 100 government and private organisations.

On the eve of the conference, the Minister highlighted the gains from the SHe-Box portal, launched in 2024, to register online and confidential complaints under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act).

In a message on social media, Annpurna Devi said: “The SHe-Box provides an empowering means for women to file complaints of sexual harassment at the workplace securely, confidentially and with confidence.”

She added: “Safety at the workplace is not a privilege, but the right of every woman. Let us join hands with policymakers, leaders and pioneers of change to participate in the National Conference on Safety of Women at Workplace (SHe-Box) and take a solid step towards building a safe and dignified work environment.”

The Ministry said the conference is an endeavour to reaffirm the government’s commitment to ensuring the creation of safe, dignified and harassment-free workplaces for all women across sectors and to strengthen the implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.

The discussions are aimed at promoting a positive workplace culture through awareness of POSH rights, enhancing compliance, increasing adoption of SHe-Box, and reinforcing India’s leadership in advancing safe and dignified workplaces, the statement said.

The conference will include an opening plenary, national and international roundtables, the launch of the SHe-Box logo, a nationwide POSH training video, IEC materials, and access to POSH training available on Karmayogi Bharat for citizens.

The Ministry of Women and Child Development launched the SHe-Box portal on August 29, 2024, as a secure, user-friendly and multilingual single-window platform with strict confidentiality. It allows online complaint filing, automatic forwarding to the concerned Internal or Local Committee, and real-time tracking to enhance transparency and accountability in assisting stakeholders for the effective implementation of the POSH Act.

The portal also serves as a resource hub, enabling workplaces to upload compliance-related information, including committee details, annual reports, and awareness and training initiatives.

Others who will attend the conference include Minister of State for Women and Child Development Savitri Thakur, senior government officials from Central Ministries and Departments and States and UTs, chairpersons and members of Internal Committees and Local Committees, nodal officers, representatives of international organisations, industry leaders and civil society representatives.

–IANS

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