'A Woman Should Never Have to Choose Between Her Dignity & Livelihood': NCW Issues Advisory to States on Workplace Safety

New Delhi: The National Commission for Women (NCW) has called upon all States and Union Territories to immediately strengthen enforcement of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 -- commonly known as the POSH Act -- in a decisive move to protect women’s dignity and ensure safer working environments across the country.

The advisory, dispatched to Chief Secretaries and Directors General of Police of all States and UTs, has also been circulated to District Magistrates, Senior Superintendents of Police, and Commissioners of Police to drive accountability from the state to the grassroots level.

According to the Commission, the directive aims to ensure full compliance with the POSH Act in every workplace -- government or private, organised or unorganised -- creating a safe, inclusive, and gender-sensitive atmosphere for women employees.

“A woman should never have to choose between her dignity and her livelihood,” said NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar.

“Every workplace must be a space of safety, respect, and equal opportunity. Effective implementation of the POSH Act is not merely a legal obligation but a collective responsibility towards women’s empowerment and their active participation in nation-building,” she said.

Key Measures Recommended

The advisory outlines several immediate action points for State Governments and District Administrations:
--Establishment of dedicated State-level POSH Monitoring Cells and digital compliance dashboards to track implementation progress.
--Mandatory annual POSH audits for all establishments employing ten or more persons.
--Notification of District Officers in every district to act as nodal authorities for monitoring, awareness, and grievance redressal.
--Universal constitution of Internal Committees (ICs) in all government departments, PSUs, educational institutions, hospitals, local bodies, and private establishments with ten or more employees. These committees must be set up in every office, branch, and unit.
--Strict adherence to legal composition of Internal Committees, including a woman Presiding Officer, at least 50% women members, and an external expert.
--Strengthening of Local Committees to effectively cover women in the unorganised sector.

The overarching goal, according to the NCW, is to shift focus from mere procedural compliance to building a broader culture of dignity, accountability, and zero tolerance for harassment in Indian workplaces.

This fresh advisory underscores the Commission’s commitment to translating legal provisions into tangible safety and empowerment for women, reinforcing that workplace security is integral to India’s development agenda.

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