Sexual harassment panels: NHRC notice to sports bodies, ministry

Giving the federations four weeks to submit detailed reports, the NHRC said non-compliance of the PoSH law was a “matter of concern” which could “impact the legal right and dignity of sportspersons”.

Taking suo motu cognizance of The Indian Express report highlighting non-compliance of provisions under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH) law by national sports federations, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Thursday issued notices to the erring sports bodies along with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

Last month, the MC Mary Kom-led committee formed by the government that looked into allegations of sexual harassment by some of the nation’s top wrestlers against Wrestling Federation of India chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh pointed out the absence of an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), as mandated by the 2013 PoSH Act.

On May 4, an investigation report by The Indian Express revealed that the wrestling body wasn’t the only one violating the law. Sixteen out of 30 sports federations — of disciplines in which India has participated in the 2018 Asian Games, the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and last year’s Commonwealth Games — did not have a fully-compliant ICC.

According to the law, the ICC needs to have a minimum of four members – at least half of them women – of whom one shall be an external member, preferably from an NGO or an association that works for women’s empowerment or a person familiar with issues related to sexual harassment, like a lawyer.

For more details kindly click the below link:
https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/sport-others/sexual-harassment-panels-nhrc-notice-to-sports-bodies-ministry-8604777/

By: Express News Service

Courtesy:
The Indian Express
May 12, 2023

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