Amit Shah Heads New GoM to Tackle Workplace Sexual Harassment

The previous Group of Ministers led by Rajnath Singh had met only once in past 8 months since formation.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP President Amit Shah file photo.

(Photo: PTI)

The Group of Minister (GoM) looking after prevention of sexual harassment at workplace was reconstituted by the Central government on Wednesday, 24 July.

The GoM will now be headed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Other new members of the group include Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal and Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani.

The previous Group of Ministers, which met only once in the last eight months since its formation, was headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, with former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Maneka Gandhi as members.

The group was first formed in October 2018, during the #MeToo movement. Its main function is to examine and give recommendations for strengthening the legal and institutional frameworks to deal with and prevent sexual harassment at workplace.

“With the constitution of the new government post-elections, the GoM undertook consultations with stakeholders and was examining various suggestions received,” an unidentified home ministry official told PTI. It will make recommendations within three months, he added.

Another Home Ministry official told The Print that the Home Minister has zero-tolerance towards such matters and that he is keen on strengthening this panel for effective implementation of the legal framework to deal with matters of sexual harassment.

(With inputs from PTI and The Print)