HC judges address gender sensitisation in awareness programme
Justice R N Manjula spoke on gender discrimination based on social and cultural constructs. She also highlighted the consequences of discrimination. Advocate U Nirmala Rani, president of Legal Aid Centre for Women, spoke about gender based violence and secondary victimisation.
Former Madras high court judge, justice S Vimala spoke on the origin, history, and elements of the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH) at Workplace Act.
S Suba, head, department of women's studies in Bharathidasan University, addressed gender disparities in the workplace.
Justice Anita Sumanth released a handbook on prevention of sexual harassment (POSH).
Principal district judge M Christopher welcomed the gathering.
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Time of India
2 days ago
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HC judges address gender sensitisation in awareness programme
Trichy: The Trichy district judiciary conducted an awareness programme on gender sensitisation and the elimination of violence against women. Judges from the Madras high court participated in the event and addressed topics such as gender discrimination and gender violence. Justice R N Manjula spoke on gender discrimination based on social and cultural constructs. She also highlighted the consequences of discrimination. Advocate U Nirmala Rani, president of Legal Aid Centre for Women, spoke about gender based violence and secondary victimisation. Former Madras high court judge, justice S Vimala spoke on the origin, history, and elements of the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH) at Workplace Act. S Suba, head, department of women's studies in Bharathidasan University, addressed gender disparities in the workplace. Justice Anita Sumanth released a handbook on prevention of sexual harassment (POSH). Principal district judge M Christopher welcomed the gathering.
The Hindu
2 days ago
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Sexual harassment often takes subtle forms and may not always be immediately recognisable, said Justice Anitha Sumanth, Judge, High Court of Madras, here on Saturday, stressing the importance of gender sensitisation at workplaces. 'There are times when we may not be able to identify a particular act as harassment but we do know that it makes us uncomfortable,' she said. She was addressing an awareness programme on 'Gender Sensitisation and Elimination of Violence Against Women' organised by the Tiruchi District Judiciary. The programme was inaugurated by Principal District Judge M. Christopher and saw the participation of District Collector V. Saravanan, Commissioner of Police N. Kamini, and Superintendent of Police S. Selvanagarathinam. Ms. Anitha said while legal provisions exist to address workplace harassment, implementation, and awareness continued to be major challenges. The need for gender sensitisation not only in workplaces but also within families and educational institutions. 'Often, even men may not be aware that their behaviour is making someone [colleagues] uncomfortable. That is why it is essential to open channels of communication — in our offices, homes, and in conversations with children. That is how gender sensitisation begins,' she said. Fairness and respect R.N. Manjula, Judge of the High Court of Madras, highlighted the importance of building relationships grounded in both fairness and respect. 'If there is fairness without respect, it serves no purpose. If there is respect without fairness, it is not genuine respect at all,' she said. She called for a transformation in societal mindset, driven by collective efforts to dismantle stereotypes. 'We must ask ourselves hard questions — do we, in our desire for acceptance, allow gender biases to influence our decisions? Do we unconsciously conform to stereotypes?' she said. P. Vadamalai, Judge, High Court of Madras, said that ensuring the safety of women was a shared social responsibility. A handbook on the 'Protection of Women from Sexual Harassment (POSH) Act', detailing legal mechanisms and procedures for addressing workplace harassment, was released during the event. The event saw participation from government officials, NGOs, women's organisations, and students from various colleges across Tiruchi.
