The reconstituted Group of Ministers (GoM), set up to strengthen legal frameworks for prevention of sexual harassment at workplace, met for the first time in New Delhi on Monday.
Led by Union home minister Amit Shah, the committee also includes finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, human resource development minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ and women and child development minister Smriti Irani.
Faced with allegations of sexual harassment at workplace, especially the “MeToo” movement on social media, the previous Modi government had formed the GoM to look into various aspects of how to prevent sexual harassment at workplace in October 2018. During the meeting, the GoM discussed the existing legal frameworks and deterrence to sexual harassment in the workplace, an official privy to the meeting said. The GoM will consult stakeholders and examine the suggestions received, another official said.
The committee met a few times before the 2019 LS elections and was reconstituted after the Modi government came back to power.
The previous committee was headed by then Union home minister Rajnath Singh.