On July 12, 2024, Nidan participated in a comprehensive training session on Anti-Discrimination and Prevention of Sexual Harassment organized by FES India at Hotel Udman in Panchshila Park, New Delhi. The session commenced at noon with a warm welcome and participant introduction, fostering a collaborative atmosphere.
The event highlighted the absence of a comprehensive anti-discrimination law in the private sector, despite the Indian Constitution’s guarantees of equality. Discussions included key constitutional provisions like Article 14, ensuring equality before the law; Article 15, prohibiting discrimination based on religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth; and Article 16, guaranteeing equal opportunities in public appointments with allowances for reservations for disadvantaged groups.
The training covered several critical issues, including a recap of the Sexual Harassment Act of 2013 and its implementation, the distinction between gender-based discrimination and sexual harassment, and strategies to prevent both in workplaces. Discussions also focused on the intersection of caste and gender, the reality of caste-based discrimination in urban workplaces, and other insidious forms of discrimination, such as those based on physical appearance, marital status, age, or disability. The session aimed to foster brainstorming among Delhi-based FES partners on creating more inclusive workplaces, emphasizing the need to move beyond legislation to address the nuanced forms of discrimination prevalent in the private sector.
