Information Sheet

Women’s Human Rights and Gender Equality

Gender equality is at the very heart of human rights and United Nations values. A
fundamental principle of the United Nations Charter adopted by world leaders in 1945 is
"equal rights of men and women", and protecting and promoting women's human rights
is the responsibility of all States. The High Commissioner for Human Rights
recently pledged to be a Geneva Gender Champion committing to advance gender
equality in OHCHR and in international fora.
Yet millions of women around the world continue to experience discrimination:
 Laws and policies prohibit women from equal access to land, property, and
housing
 Economic and social discrimination results in fewer and poorer life choices for
women, rendering them vulnerable to trafficking
 Gender-based violence  affects at least 30% of women globally
 Women are denied their sexual and reproductive health rights
 Women human rights defenders are ostracized by their communities and seen as
a threat to religion, honour or culture
 Women’s crucial role in peace and security is often overlooked, as are the
particular risks they face in conflict situations
Moreover, some groups of women face compounded forms of discrimination -- due to
factors such as their age, ethnicity, disability, or socio-economic status -- in addition to
their gender.
Effectively ensuring women’s human rights requires, firstly, a comprehensive
understanding of the social structures and power relations that frame not only laws and
politics but also the economy, social dynamics and family and community life. 
Harmful gender stereotypes must be dismantled, so that women are no longer viewed in
the light of what women "should" do and are instead seen for who they are: unique
individuals, with their own needs and desires.

The international framework

Discrimination based on sex is prohibited under almost every human rights treaty -
including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights  and the International
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which under their common article 3
provide for the rights to equality between men and women in the enjoyment of all rights.
In addition, there are treaties and expert bodies specifically dedicated to the realization
of women's human rights:
The Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)
Considered the international bill of rights for women, the Convention defines what
constitutes discrimination against women and sets an agenda for national action to end
such discrimination. It was adopted by the United Nations in 1979 and came into force
on 3 September 1981.
The CEDAW Committee
Oversight of the Convention is the task of the Committee on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women, a group of 23 independent experts on women's rights
from different States that have ratified the Convention. Countries that are parties to the
Convention must submit reports detailing their compliance with its provisions every four
years. The Committee (the treaty body) reviews those reports and may also hear claims
of violations and inquire into situations of grave or systemic contraventions of women’s
rights.
The Special Rapporteur on violence against women
In 1994 the United Nations resolved to appoint a Special Rapporteur - an independent
expert -- on the causes and consequences of violence against women. The Special
Rapporteur investigates and monitors violence against women, and recommends and
promotes solutions for its elimination.
The Working Group
In 2010 the Human Rights Council established a Working Group on the issue of
discrimination against women in law and in practice to promote the elimination of laws
that discriminate against women and/or have a discriminatory impact on them.
 Gender Sensitivity and Sexual Harassment of Women at the
Workplace

What is gender sensitivity? Is it the same as gender equality? Are workplaces in today’s
India gender sensitive? Is sexual harassment of women in the workplace on the rise?
These are some of the burning questions and issues at hand in today’s work
environment. Multiple companies across all industry sectors are beginning to take note
of these issues and address them. While this proactive approach is seen in some
organisations, many others have been slow to recognize the need while the rest have
completely ignored it.

Gender sensitivity essentially refers to making women’s as well as men’s concerns and
experiences an integral dimension of all policies and programs in an organization so
that women and men benefit equally and inequality is not perpetuated. Gender issues
are sensitive and complicated and affect both women and men regardless of status.
The ability of an organization to identify and handle gender inequality and gender
discrimination underpins its success in creating a gender sensitive and inclusive work
culture. Ultimately, the goal is to achieve gender equality.

What about sexual harassment? Sexual harassment at the workplace has seen a
steady rise in India. Though this has undoubtedly been the case for a while now, it is
being reported more openly and bravely as opposed to a few years ago. This radical
shift can primarily be attributed to the enactment of the recent law in India – Sexual
Harassment of Women at the Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition & Redressal) Act,
2013. From a global standpoint, most countries have adopted some form of legislation
at the national level that covers the issue of sexual harassment but a growing number of
countries like India have adopted a specific legislation for the same. The International
Labour Organization (ILO) also has standards and guidelines on prevention of sexual
harassment at the workplace. So what exactly is Sexual Harassment? Sexual
harassment is a manifestation of gender discrimination and is defined by the law as:

 Unwelcome acts or behavior (whether directly or by implication) such as physical contact

or advances,
 Requests for sexual favours and
 Any other verbal or physical conduct that is of a sexual nature.
The law mandates that every company that has 10 or employees is required to
formulate a Prevention of Sexual Harassment policy in accordance with the Act,
constitute an Internal Complaints Committee to handle sexual harassment issues,
sensitize its entire workforce on prevention, prohibition and redressal of sexual
harassment of women in the workplace and handle any incidents of sexual harassment
as per the inquiry procedure laid down by the law. Failure to do any of the above is a
serious non-compliance and constitutes a violation of the law. There are serious
penalties for the organization including cancellation of their business license apart from
fines.

India Inc. is now in its third year of compliance with the Act. While there are a large
number of companies that have implemented this law, there is still a long way to go
before we can achieve total compliance. Larger corporations, both Indian and multi-
national, are more pro-active and compliant than the small and medium sized
organizations. Smaller companies have a tendency to think that the law does not apply
to them and hence an alarmingly large number of such companies are non-compliant.
Therefore, awareness is the need of the hour. Compliance to this law and subscribing to
the philosophy of zero tolerance to sexual harassment at the workplace must be more
vigorously advocated. Although national forums and federations are broadly addressing
gender sensitivity and sexual harassment issues, a greater thrust is warranted from all
the stakeholders – the government, society, managements of companies and the
workforce itself. Management personnel and employees must be made aware of the
implications of sexual harassment, its impact on the individual(s) and the organization,
identification of such behavior, appropriate handling of sexual harassment
issues/incidents and the manner of conducting oneself within the work environment.

It is time to recognize that women are an important and integral part of our workforce.
Women bring in balance and diversity and more importantly emotional intelligence
which is an essential element for corporate success. It is therefore important for every
employee of every organization to be sensitive, respectful, watchful and inclusive.
One must not be afraid and must speak up against any form of sexual harassment.

Despite the existence of an eclectic attitude and approach to sexual harassment in our
country and although a lot more needs to be done in this sphere, sexual harassment
free workplaces can become a reality. Pro-active, aware and empowered companies
along with their employees can be agents of change and create a sexual harassment
free workplace where both women and men are treated with dignity, equality and
respect.
10 ways to eliminate gender bias in the workplace

1. Be transparent
2. Support women into more senior roles
3. Implement gender neutral recruitment processes
4. Review salaries and standardize pay
5. Provide training on unconscious bias
6. Have a clear policy on discrimination
7. Provide flexible working and de-stigmatize shared parental leave
8. Diversify the board
9. Ensure you’re actively encouraging women to progress
10. Promote a culture of meritocracy
Self Check

1. Name 10 ways to eliminate gender bias in the workplace?

Answer Key

1. Be transparent
2. Support women into more senior roles
3. Implement gender neutral recruitment processes
4. Review salaries and standardize pay
5. Provide training on unconscious bias
6. Have a clear policy on discrimination
7. Provide flexible working and de-stigmatize shared parental leave
8. Diversify the board
9. Ensure you’re actively encouraging women to progress
10. Promote a culture of meritocracy