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SAKSHAM Measures for Ensuring the Safety of Women SAK and Programmes for Gender Sensitization on S Campuses HAM University Grants Commission Bahadurshah Zafar Marg New Delhi SAKSHAM Measures for Ensuring the Safety of Women and Programmes for Gender Sensitization on Campuses SAKSHAM Measures for Ensuring the Safety of Women and Programmes for Gender Sensitization on Campuses University Grants Commission Bahadurshah Zafar Marg New Delhi © University Grants Commission December 2013 All Rights Reserved Published by Secretary University Grants Commission, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110002 Designed and Printed by : Deeya Media Art, D-41/A, Laxmi Nagar, Delhi-110092 Ph. : 9312550335, 9211656230 iv Table of Contents Preface ...................................................................................................................................vii Letter of Submission ..............................................................................................................ix Acknowledgements ...............................................................................................................xi List of Members of the Task Force ....................................................................................xiii Executive Summary .............................................................................................................01 I. INTRODUCTION 09 1.1 Higher Education and Gender in Contemporary India ............................................09 1.2 Sexual Violence and Harassment in the Contemporary Context.............................13 1.3 Vishaka Guidelines, Justice Verma Committee ..........................................................14 1.4 Sexual Harassment at the Workplace Act, 2013 .........................................................16 1.5 Establishment of the UGC Task Force and its TOR ...................................................20 II. QUESTIONNAIRE BASED SURVEY AMONG UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES 23 2.1 Method of eliciting information ....................................................................................23 2.2 Background Information and Rationale ......................................................................24 III. OPEN FORUMS 33 3.1 Context and Background ...............................................................................................33 3.2 Observations and Feedback from Open Forums ........................................................35 3.3 The Main Issues that Emerged ......................................................................................35 IV. GENDER SENSITISATION 47 4.1 Rationale and Scope ........................................................................................................47 4.2 Suggested Course Module .............................................................................................48 4.3 Workshop Series on Gender, Masculinities, Sexual Harassment, Laws and Rights ..............................................................................................................57 V. SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES 66 5.1 Understanding the role of ICCs in University ............................................................67 5.2 Guiding Principles ..........................................................................................................70 v 5.3 Specially Vulnerable Groups .........................................................................................77 5.4 Intimate Partner Violence ..............................................................................................79 5.5 Ethics for Research Supervision ....................................................................................80 VI. INTRODUCTION RECOMMENDATIONS 81 6.1 Setting up a Gender Sensitization Unit ........................................................................81 6.2 The Problems of Protectionism .....................................................................................83 6.3 Gender Sensitization .......................................................................................................83 6.4 Recognising and Combatting Sexual Harassment .....................................................84 6.5 Preparation of a UGC Handbook .................................................................................87 6.6 Courses and Workshops ................................................................................................88 6.7 University Services and Infrastructure ........................................................................88 6.8 Women’s Studies Centres/ Women’s Development Cells .......................................90 6.9 Recommended Projects/ Research ...............................................................................91 6.10 Regulatory Aspects .........................................................................................................91 VII. APPENDICES 1(a) Task Force to Review the Measures for Ensuring Safety of Women on Campuses and Programs for Gender Sensitization ...................................................95 1(b) Vishaka Guidelines from the Supreme Court 1997 ....................................................97 2. Flow Chart on Procedure and Inquiry in Sexual Harassment Cases ....................107 3. NCRB data on Crimes against Women ......................................................................109 4. Meetings and Consultations held by the Task Force and Members ......................112 5. Justice Verma Committee Bill of Rights .....................................................................113 6. Justice Verma Committee Chapter 14 on Education and Perception Reform ......118 7. Survey Questionnaire used by Task Force ................................................................126 8. Recommendations of Kolkata Open Forum ..............................................................131 9. Note on Masculinities and Organisations .................................................................139 10. JNU GSCASH Guidelines ............................................................................................147 11. Delhi University Anti-Sexual Harassment Guidelines ............................................179 12. Recommended Procedure for Cross Examination ...................................................219 13. Conciliation ....................................................................................................................222 14. Workshops on Legal Literacy ......................................................................................226 15. Bibliography ...................................................................................................................230 vi Preface Education plays a crucial role in promoting the egalitarian commitments of Equality and Justice enshrined in the Constitution of India. The University Grants Commission (UGC) fully recognizes how integral such education, and especially access to higher learning, is for all to reach their fullest potential, and more especially for the disadvantaged and the marginalized groups, including women. Promoting equity through higher education has always been at the very heart of the agenda of the UGC and reflects its commitment to nurture and preserve democracy within spaces of learning. It promoted this commitment through introduction of schemes for the marginalized sections of the society, particularly the Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Minorities, Differently-abled Persons, and especially, participation of women, cutting across regional and afore-mentioned social groups, to increase their access to, and retention and success in higher education. The outcome of these efforts touched different levels of satisfaction. But some special efforts were still needed to create a more conducive environment for girls and women for their participation and success in higher education. Unfortunately, the spate of recent disturbing events in the national capital and in other parts of the country have spurred the UGC to review existing arrangements that are currently in place on the campuses of all institutions of higher learning to ensure the freedom, safety and security of girls, and women in particular, and of the entire youth in general. The UGC is committed to a policy of zero tolerance regarding harassment of any kind. Accordingly, a Task Force was constituted to review the present arrangements, identify loopholes and inadequacies and to formulate remedial measures to address the concerns of all girls and women, and of the youth who study and live in the country’s numerous and diverse university campuses. The UGC is very happy with the work output of the Task Force, which set about its responsibilities with commitment and care. The UGC is also grateful to all those who gave of their time and effort, including members of universities across the country, experts, women’s organizations, and the members of the Task Force. vii The UGC has studied the recommendations contained in this Report. It is of the view that the Report has come up with several fundamental and far-reaching recommendations, all of which are based on the principles of Equality and Justice guaranteed by the Constitution of India, including Rights to Dignity, Bodily Autonomy and Integrity enunciated in the Bill of Rights for Women in the Justice Verma Committee Report of January 2013, and are in consonance with the Vishaka Guidelines, the Sexual Harassment at Workplace