Objectives of ICC:

The objectives of the Internal Complaint Committee to Prevent Sexual Harassment of Women at the Workplace are as follows:

• To develop a policy against sexual harassment of women at the Institute.
• To ensure the implementation of the policy in letter and spirit through proper reporting of the complaints and their follow-up procedures.
• To uphold the commitment of the Institute to provide an environment free of gender based discrimination.
• To promote a social and psychological environment to raise awareness on sexual harassment in its various forms.
• To create a secure physical and social environment to deter any act of sexual harassment.
• To evolve a permanent mechanism for the prevention and redressal of sexual harassment cases and other acts of gender based violence at the Institute.

Background & Rationale:

Sexual harassment infringes on the following two fundamental rights provided by the Constitution of India: One is the right of a woman to gender equality under Article 14 and the other is the woman’s right to life and live with dignity under Article 21.

Supreme Court provided clear guidelines for dealing with sexual harassment in 1997. These guidelines which are legally binding and must be enforced include definition of sexual harassment at the workplace, prevention of such harassment, disciplinary action against the erring employee, and employer’s responsibility in ensuring a harassment-free workplace.

The Committee for Managing Gender Issues has been set up as the Internal Complaints Committee that the Indian Institute of Management Bodh Gaya was required to set up as per the Supreme Court Guidelines. This would normally limit its outcomes to resolution, settlement, or prosecution. However, ICC was set up not only to deal with complaints of sexual harassment of women in the workplace but also to focus on creating awareness, counselling and educating about gender issues. For example, specific components of induction programmes were formally introduced and are based on creating awareness and informing students about the Institute’s framework for dealing with such issues. In addition, gender sensitization workshops for staff and students are also conducted.

Jurisdiction:

The policy and the rules & regulations would apply to all students, faculty and nonteaching staffs on active roles of IIM BG. The policy and the rules & regulations would also apply to service providers and outsiders who may be within the territory of the IIM BG at time of commission of the act coming under the purview of the policy.

Composition:

ICC has a membership of three to four persons, of which at least half the members are women. Chairperson of the Committee is a woman faculty member.