Shimla, February 11 The National Commission for Women will organize a state-level consultation on women's safety in higher educational institutions here on Thursday.
The objective of the meeting is to discuss current challenges, assess institutional systems, and foster collaboration among stakeholders, officials said on Wednesday.
National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar will chair the consultation. The event will see participation from senior state police officials, vice-chancellors, registrars, deans, principals, and senior professors. Members of internal committees, legal experts, student representatives, and NCW officials will also attend.
While access to higher education for women has significantly increased, concerns related to safety, dignity, and a harassment-free environment continue to persist within academic campuses, according to a statement.
Incidents of sexual harassment, cyber harassment, discrimination, lack of awareness about redressal mechanisms, and inadequate implementation of statutory safeguards adversely affect women students and staff, it added.
The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 mandates the constitution of Internal Committees and creation of a safe working and learning environment. However, gaps in implementation and awareness remain a challenge.
The consultation will review the current status of safety measures, strengthen coordination between educational institutions, law enforcement agencies, and legal stakeholders. It aims to promote best practices and preventive strategies and provide a platform for dialogue between policymakers, administrators, law enforcement, faculty, and student representatives to strengthen institutional coordination.
The NCW seeks to enhance awareness about legal provisions and strengthen inter-agency coordination for the prevention and response of the women, the statement added.