Is Sexual Harassment at the Workplace Curtailing Women’s Growth?

The authors review the evolution of women’s right to work as equal stakeholders in a society that has an entrenched system of discrimination, through the context of the law against sexual harassment. They examine briefly the seminal judgment of the Supreme Court of India in Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan and critique the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, which replaces the guidelines issued in Vishaka, to determine how they help in achieving an equal status for women in the workplace. The authors conclude that while the statute is a step in the right direction, mandating both employers and the state to work towards a workplace that is safe and equal for women, implementing the spirit of the law will be the true test of its success.