Impact of Sexual Harassment on Women's Higher Education and Institutions Accountability

Abstract

One of the social issues in contemporary culture is sexual harassment, which has contributed to the underlying issue of sexual assault that affects women worldwide. In 1997, the landmark case of Vishakha v. State of Rajasthan raised awareness of sexual harassment in Indian society. The Indian Supreme Court recognized in this case that sexual harassment is against women's constitutional rights to equality and dignity. So, we can say that the foundation for the creation of protections against workplace harassment of women, includes educational institutions. The criteria imposed by the ruling for addressing claims of sexual harassment were later incorporated into the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act, 2013. The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, and the UGC Regulations on Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal of Sexual Harassment of Women Employees and Students in Higher Educational Institutions, 2015 provide legal protections against sexual harassment in educational institutions in India. In addition to being a major barrier to women growth, sexual harassment of women in higher education is a grave violation of human rights. It is required for universities to offer secure environments for education, research, and career development. However, sexual harassment incidents lead to discrimination, anxiety, and insecurity, which hinders women's involvement in and access to higher education. Despite the POSH Act, 2013 being passed in India, the law is still not being fully implemented. As a result, there are still a lot of harassment instances occur, and many women either don't know about the legal options accessible to them or don't report them because they don't trust the redressal systems.

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