ALIGARH, December 20: Prof. Samina Khan, Presiding Officer of the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), Aligarh Muslim University, attended a week-long national programme on the effective enforcement of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, organised by the National Institute of Planning and Administration, New Delhi.
Held to commemorate a decade of the POSH Act’s implementation, the programme focused on strengthening gender equality and justice within higher education institutions through a capacity-building national workshop for Presiding Officers and members of Internal Complaints Committees and Gender Sensitisation Cells. The deliberations addressed legal, socio-psychological, digital and institutional dimensions of grievance redressal.
During the discussions, Prof. Samina Khan highlighted the need for greater awareness of POSH provisions, institutional accountability and timely redressal mechanisms. She observed that gaps in institutional culture, policy clarity and awareness often compromise campus safety for women, and stressed the need for research-based amendments to address emerging digital challenges and intersectional vulnerabilities.
The programme witnessed participation from universities across 19 States and Union Territories, reaffirming the collective responsibility of higher education institutions to uphold constitutional values and the spirit of the POSH Act.
Meanwhile, AMU observed December 10 to 17 as ‘Sexual Harassment Prevention Week’ in compliance with the Ministry of Women and Child Development’s directive. During this period, the University’s ICC undertook several initiatives, including activation and updating of the SHe-Box portal by Prof. Asiya Chaudhary, Senior Member, ICC, and Nodal Officer for the SHe-Box Portal. The ICC also disposed of pending complaints, refreshed student representation on the committee, and organized sensitization programmes under the UGC’s Student Induction Programme, Deekshaarambh, reinforcing AMU’s commitment to a safe, inclusive and gender-just academic environment