Sexual Harassment Electronic Box (SHe-box)

To ensure the protection of women at the workplace, Government of India (GoI) has launched Sexual Harassment Electronic Box (SHe-box), an online platform to file complaints related to sexual harassment at the workplace. SHe-box was initiated and monitored by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), to receive, address and resolve harassment complaints to women at a more efficient process. This initiative provides access to all women working at organised or unorganised, private or public sector.

The complaints are received by the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) belonging to state or central panel members. To enforce She-box effectively, MWCD intimated under Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act (the SH Act), 2013. The act provides a safety measure to all women registering at the portal by securing all the information such as address, names of witnesses, inquiry proceedings or any action taken by the employer. MWCD strictly states that breach of confidentiality will result in a fine of Rs.5000.

Objective of SHe-box

• Provide a safe environment for all working women
• Provide remedy more quickly
• Eradicate hostile or humiliating treatment at the workplace
• Protect the rights and status of women at the workplace
• Promote SHe-box through Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages to reach out every working women in the country

The following acts or reasons are subjected to sexual harassment at the workplace and any women employee can register a complaint at the portal

• Women subjected to unwanted sexual advances, requests for sexual favours and any form of physical or verbal conduct
• Forcing the women employee to receive or requesting sexual favour in exchange for a favourable stable workplace environment
• Threating to revoke the working contract or forced to quit from the job
• Interfering with women’s work performance by using offensive or humiliating treatment, affecting health or safety

Other places constituting sexual harassment apart from the workplace

• At business lunches or dinners in commercial or customer’s premises
• Events such as training, promotional campaigns, social, public relation events at commercial or customer’s premises
• During work-related travel, communications through phone or electronic media

Locating Internal/Local Complaints Committee (ICC/LCC)

• Head of the department or Head of Human Resource department within the organisation
• Office of the District Officer (DO)
• Contact One Stop Centre
• Women Help Lines
• Office of the State Commission for Women
• Office of the State Department of Women and Child Development

Filing a Complaint through SHe-box

To file a complaint, the concerned member should have a valid email address.

Step 1: Click here to access the webpage

Step 2: Click on Register your Complaint

Step 3: Select the option, Government employee or Private employee (If Government Employee, select State or Central)

 

Step 4: Provide data in the required fields

Step 5: Click on Submit after furnishing all the required details

Step 6: A link will be sent to the authorised email address to generate SHe-box user name and password

Step 7:  Create a password from the link to check the registration process and status of the compliant

Age Criteria to Register at SHe-box

The individual must be above 18 years to register at SHe-box.

For individuals less than 18, the MWCD states that an FIR should be filled for proceedings.

Note: Individuals above 18 years can register at SHe-box and file an FIR

Timeframe to Register at SHe-box

Description	Timeframe
Submission of Complaint	Within 3 months of the last incident
Completion of Inquiry	Within 90 days
Submission of Report by ICC/LCC to the employer/DO	Within 10 days of completion of the inquiry
Implementation of Recommendations by the employer	Within 60 days
Appeal	Within 90 days of the recommendations

To know more about documentation and consulting, click here.