Union Government launches SHe-box portal for sexual harassment complaints

The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development on 24 July 2017 launched an online platform 'SHe-box' (Sexual Harassment Electronic Box) to enable women employees of the central government to file complaints related to sexual harassment at the workplace.

The Ministry also instructed officials to make the 'SHe-box' portal as interactive as possible.  

Highlights of the SHe-box portal
• The e-platform will be hosted on the WCD ministry's website and the complaints will then be taken up with the respective ministries or departments.

• Once a complaint is registered, it will be forwarded to the concerned ministry or department where the woman works.

• Moreover, SHe-box provides anonymity to complainants.

• Initially, only the central government women employees can file complaints through the portal, but later its ambit will include the private sector as well.

Background
The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development in October 2016 announced to launch an online portal for sexual harassment cases after the ministry received complaints from women employees in various ministries.

Although the Parliament cleared the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act in February 2013, but its implementation has been inconsistent so far.

At present, there is no centralized mechanism to collect data on how many complaints have been registered and disposed off under the Act. The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) started collecting data since 2014 under the category of insult to the modesty of women at office premises.