Sexual Harassment at Work

Sexual Harrasment is a form of sex discrimination. It is Unwelcome sexual advances, request for sexual favours, and other physical or verbal conduct of a sexual nature constitutes sexual harrasment when this conduct explicitely or implicitly affects an individual employment.

Sexual Harrasment can take place in three forms which can be catogorized into three groups:

VERBAL:
* comments about appearance, body or clothes.
* Indecent remarks.
* Questions or comments about sex life.
* Sexual demands made by someone of the opposite sex, or even same sex.
* Promises or threats concerning a person's employment condition in return for sexual favours.

NONVERBAL:
* Looking or staring at a person's body.
* Display of sexually explicit materials such as calendars or magazines etc.

PHYSICAL:
* Physically touching, pinching, hugging, carresing , kissing.
* SExual assault.
* Rape.

WHAT WE HAVE TO DO:
1. say "No" clearly:
Tell the person that his/her behaviour offends you. Firmly refuse all invitations. If the harrasment does nt end, write a letter to him/her & keep a copy.

2. Write down what happened:
as soon as you experience the harrasment , start writing it down. Write down the places, date time and possible witness to what happened. If possible ask ur co workers to write down what they saw/ heard, especially if the same thing is happening to them.
Dont keep the record at work place.

3. Report the harrasment.
Tell your supervisor, HR or some other department/ person within the organization who has the power to stop the harrasment. If possible tell them in writing. Keep a copy of the complaint.

4. Start a Paper Trail:
When you report this harrasment to your employer , do it in writing. Describe the problem and how you want it fixed. This creates a written record of when u complained and what response to it. keep copies of everything you send & receive from your employer.

5. Use the grievenace procedure.

6. File a discrimination complaint with a govt agency.

7. File a law suit.

Poverty In India

*According to the a 2005 World Bank estimate, 42% of India's falls below the international poverty line of $1.25 a day (PPP, in nominal terms Rs. 21.6 a day in urban areas and Rs 14.3 in rural areas);

*In 1980 it was 60%.

*According to the criterion used by the Planning Commission of India 27.5% of the population was living below the poverty line in 2004–2005

*Decreased from 51.3% in 1977–1978, and 36% in 1993-1994.

*India has a higher rate of malnutrition among children under the age of three (46% in year 2007) than any other country in the world.

*Still India is having the face of " Beggars Country".

*Eradication of poverty can only be a very long-term goal in India.

* Plese see the below table.

Year Rural Sector Urban Sector Combined
1973-74 261(in million) 56.4(%) 60 (Million) 49.0(%) 321(Million) 54.9
1977-78 264 53.1 65 45.2 329 52.3
1993-94 224 37.3 76 32.4 320 36
Source Planning Commision