By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
The Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra (RLEK), a Dehradun-based NGO working on legal rights on Wednesday conducted a training workshop on the prevention of sexual harassment in the workplace (POSH Act 2013) for women domestic workers.
RLEK organized an interactive session which aimed at educating domestic helpers on the scope and significance of the POSH Act. Advocate Madhu Kuksal served as the Chief Guest for the POSH training programme and graced the event with her presence.
The event commenced with a warm welcome speech by RLEK Chairperson Pratima Menon, who addressed the participants on the significance of legal awareness regarding sexual harassment of women in their workplace. To make sure the participants were comfortable with such a sensitive issue, some ice-breaking games were conducted which created a friendly environment that encouraged the women to speak freely.
This was followed by a video and a presentation to brief the participants on the prevention of sexual harassment at the workplace and the statutes of the POSH Law. To demonstrate the scope of the POSH Law and how it should be interpreted, the RLEK interns from various Universities, put up several roll plays. This was received warmly by the participants and encouraged them to think about the different aspects in which the POSH Law applies, which is not only limited to physical touch but also verbal and online harassment.
Throughout the session, RLEK made sure that apart from the theoretical knowledge being imparted about the POSH Law, the domestic workers were also trained on how to utilize technology in taking action against the perpetrator using the SHe-Box portal. Thereafter RLEK demonstrated a persistent commitment to serving the cause of marginalized communities and tribes.
This was followed by a heartfelt speech by the Chief Guest, Advocate Madhu Kuksal. She applauded RLEK’s efforts in making legal knowledge regarding sexual harassment accessible to marginalized communities and stressed on the importance of safeguarding women in their workplace.