New study on work against sexual harassment in Indian higher education institutions

In India, following the enactment of the law on prevention and repatriation of sexual harassment of women at work (POSH) in 2013, governing bodies in higher education have issued several policies and guidelines. However, almost no empirical studies have explored the implementation and consequences of these initiatives. 

In the new study "Moving beyond bureaucratic grey zones. Managing sexual harassment in Indian higher education," published in Higher Education, researchers Anamika Sinha at the Goa Institute of Management, Sattari, India, and Fredrik Bondestam at the Swedish Secretariat for Gender Research, University of Gothenburg, have analyzed 15 Internal Committee members' narratives on how to achieve procedural and normative justice in cases received. Since the POSH law was passed in 2013, Internal Committees in workplaces are required in India, to receive and redress complaints of sexual harassment.

The study offers pioneering knowledge, bridges an identified theory-policy-practice divide, and suggests an organizational development framework for prevention, prohibition and grievance handling of gender based violence and sexual harassment in higher education institutions in India.