Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], February 11: The National Commission for Women (NCW) will organise a state-level consultation on women's safety in higher educational institutions in Himachal Pradesh's Shimla on February 12.
According to a press release issued here, the consultation will be held from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm at Bachat Bhawan, Deputy Commissioner's Office in Shimla.
The initiative aims to deliberate on existing challenges, assess institutional mechanisms, and strengthen coordination among key stakeholders to ensure a safe and secure academic environment for women.
As per the press release, the consultation will be chaired by NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar. The event will be attended by senior state police officials, vice chancellors, registrars and deans of universities, principals and senior professors of higher educational institutions, members of Internal Committees, legal experts and advocates, student leaders and representatives, officials of the National Commission for Women, and representatives of the state administration.
The press release stated that higher educational institutions play a crucial role in shaping the intellectual, social and professional lives of young women. "While access to higher education has significantly improved for women, concerns regarding safety, dignity and harassment-free campuses continue to persist".
"Issues such as sexual harassment, cyber harassment, discrimination, lack of awareness about grievance redressal mechanisms, and inadequate implementation of legal safeguards adversely impact women students and staff," the release said.
"The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act) mandates the constitution of Internal Committees and the creation of a safe working and learning environment; however, gaps in implementation and awareness persist," the commission said.
According to the press release, the consultation aims to review the current status of safety measures for women in higher educational institutions and assess the implementation and effectiveness of the POSH Act and Internal Committees in universities and colleges. It also seeks to strengthen coordination between educational institutions, law enforcement agencies and legal stakeholders.
The consultation will promote best practices and preventive strategies to ensure safer campuses, provide a platform for dialogue among policymakers, administrators, law enforcement agencies, faculty members and student representatives, and generate actionable recommendations to improve institutional response mechanisms, it noted.
Expected outcomes include enhanced awareness about legal provisions and institutional responsibilities, identification of gaps in safety mechanisms and grievance redressal systems, strengthened inter-agency coordination for prevention and response, and practical suggestions for policy and administrative action.
The initiative underscores the Commission's commitment to fostering safe, inclusive and equitable educational spaces for women, the press release added.