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Journalism of Courage
CHENNAI, March 8: A promise made during a recent seminar on sexual harassment in the work place has now been fulfilled. The University of Madras has formulated a code of conduct against sexual harassment, on the eve of International Women’s Day.
The code is the brainchild of Vice-Chancellor P T Manoharan, who set up a committee headed by Cynthia Pandian. The recommendations of the four-member committee, headed by Pandian, has led to a code of conduct for the avoidance of sexual harassment and maintenance of equality of opportunity at the university.
Says Pandian, “The development of women entails avoiding sexual harassment and engendering a culture of peace in any organisation.” The code of conduct had the unanimous approval of the University Syndicate and Senate and “the male staff provided the utmost co-operation in forming the code,” says Pandian.
Though there were several complaints of harassment, the code of conduct emanated from the germ of an idea put forth at the symposium, says Pandian,pointing out that women in the University’s four campuses will soon have a cell that will attend to harassment complaints.
Pandian, who is a professor of Education and director-in-charge, Academic Staff College, says the recommendations have been sent to Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson Najma Heptullah for their enactment in all educational institutions in the country. Mumbai’s Tata Institute of Social Sciences and SNDT University have called for the code.
