POSHasya Conclave 2019

Mandating organizations to comply with the sexual harassment act has expanded access to safe working environments and effective redressal measures. What are some compliance blind spots? Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas will conduct a session on how to institute effective compliance, while discussing key case laws to highlight compliance complexities.

The legal definition of sexual harassment, while robust, also leaves many areas to interpretation. From a social perspective, many behaviours of social harassment were considered “normal” for years and those who face sexual harassment continue to struggle with reporting due to stigma. Leveraging social and legal perspectives, this discussion will explore how to recognize the greyer areas of sexual harassment. We will also discuss ways in which we can empower those who face sexual harassment to report.

Using our signature socio-legal framework, Kalpana Tatavarti from Parity will conduct a masterclass on consent and sexual harassment. Using power dynamics as the nexus, we will navigate the various nuances of consent and how to apply it both in investigating complaints as well as in our daily lives.

Parity will engage in a fireside chat with a representative from Wipro that is leading the way in the prevention of sexual harassment.

What are some of the things that led to the #MeToo movement and how can we learn from it? What are some of the discussions surrounding due process versus public action? In this panel, we will look at the build-up to the #MeToo movement and the movement itself. We will explore how to strengthen policies and create workplace in which no one has to say #MeToo again.

Parity will engage in a fireside chat with a representative from Titan that is setting a phenomenal example in implementing POSH thoughtfully in their organization.

ICs are a very unique concept and there are not many precedents we can look for within the wider international community. ICs are vested with immense power. How do we ensure that ICs are well-equipped and what are the common challenges that we see?

After identifying certain gaps in the way POSH is applied, a small research group conducted a study to develop a tool that organizations can use to assess and coach appropriate responses for observers of sexual harassment incidents at work. Dr. Aarti Shyamsunder, Primary Investigator for this study, and her colleague, Ms. Charu Khanna, will present the key results of this effort centred around the “ABCD” of observer intervention strategies. They will also share the tool developed – Observer Intervention in Sexual Harassment (OISH) – with all participants and recommend actions for organizations and individuals to take.