Is being quiet the right way forward? Let’s think.

What do you do if your colleague passes a sexist remark to you as you enter the office.

Do you feel you should take it as a compliment and keep quiet or do you tell him that you do not appreciate such comments?

Being quiet is probably what many women do in India. But that’s when we sow the seed to give way to harassment. The  Indian culture and tradition in which we grow has always made the woman feel that they are not empowered. They do not have the right to stand and speak up for themselves. We are always told to be submissive, sacrifice, compromise and adjust — as this is the way of life.

But if I may ask, my parents never differentiated between me and my brother. I was given the same opportunities  and the same upbringing in terms of value systems. Then why is that when it comes to working in some parts of our corporate world that women are looked at differently. Why are there people wanting to harass a lady who wants to make a name for herself? And why are the same opportunities not provided to her?

My friends, it’s time that we change! Change the way we look at women in India. Change the way we all think about the woman workforce in India. And this change has to be made by everyone. Not only should women speak up but others must also be sensitive and not pass inappropriate remarks.

I must say that I have been extremely fortunate to have worked for a company which has always believed in gender equality. In fact, while being part of this esteemed organization, I never realised that the world outside is different. Harassment may not necessarily always be through the use of words. It can be by touch; by SMS; by WhatsApp;  or through the use of any social media. Any action of anyone that makes you feel uncomfortable can potentially be termed as harassment. It’s important to be aware of this and furthermore take action when you are being harassed.

The Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act, 2013 passed by the Indian government provides protection against the sexual harassment of women at the workplace and also lays down the procedures for addressing complaints of this nature. Thus, all organizations, big or small, functioning in India must comply to this act. But what is good to note is that most mid-sized or large organisations are preferring to adopt a gender neutral policy to safeguard the rights of all employees working in their organisation. This is surely a welcome change as being sensitive and aware about your rights also makes you cautious and preventive.

My aim is to bring awareness about the existence of such an act as per the government of India regulations and to make organizations aware of the importance of following this act. And it is important to be aware of your rights while you climb up the corporate ladder to achieve success and become inspiring woman leaders.