Women Welfare Cell

INTRODUCTION

The Women’s Welfare Cell (WWC) actively works towards the improvement of women in the society and march towards curbing gender discrimination. In the effort to make Annai College of Arts and Science a strong kernel of gender sensitization. The Women’s Welfare Cell constituted in the year 2013. The Women’s Welfare Cell of Annai College of Arts and Science established with the motto of “TOGETHER WOMEN EMPOWERING”. They help women realize their role in the society and conduct various programs for women regarding sexual harassment, safety of women and make aware of women welfare laws. A Women’s Welfare Cell in any situation symbolizes a safety hub for the students. The cell spread the real importance of gender equality and empowerment in the society through college students for developing the nation.

VISION

Maintaining and strengthening the status of women, creating awareness on women’s rights, and ensuring the safety and dignity of the female students, teachers, and staff.

MISSION

To create a society free from all the prejudices and gender-based discriminations and have space where students can explore their full potential.

OBJECTIVES

Women’s Welfare Cell of Annai College of Arts and Science was established in the year 2013 – with the following objectives:

To address all the issues pertaining to gender discrimination.
To help women in developing a confident personality.
To create awareness about Women Welfare Laws.
To assert the importance of social equality and gender inclusiveness.
To prevent sexual harassment and promote the general well-being of female students, teachers and staff.
To maintain a dignified, congenial working environment for all.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Women Entrepreneurship.
Health awareness and nutritious food.
Counselling – Health and Psychological issues.
Work-life balance.
Creating awareness against harassment by workshops/seminars.
Conducting Women’s Day Program.
Improving interpersonal skill.
Solving women related issues and complaints.

FUTURE PLAN

Plan to provide crèche facility, which would be provide to professors where they can leave their kids for day care facility without having to worry about them.
Plan to start a short term course on law with objective to increasing awareness about myths and taboos.

MEMBERS

S.NO	NAME OF THE MEMBER	DESIGNATION	COMMITEE
1.	Dr. S. P. Manicka Vasugi	Principal	Chairperson
2.	Mrs. R. Latha	IQAC Coordinator	Member
3.	Dr. V. Mala	Assistant Professor	Coordinator
4.	Dr. J. Loyola Peeris	Assistant Professor	Member
5.	Mrs. A. Roja Bhanu	Assistant Professor	Member
6.	Mrs. J. Subhashini	Assistant Professor	Member
7.	Mrs. S. Anbarasi	Assistant Professor	Member
8.	Mrs. B. Jeyam	Assistant Professor	Member
9.	Dr. P. Samiyammal	Assistant Professor	Member
10.	Mrs. Sudhamani	NGO	Member
11.	Mrs. V. Malarkodi	Accountant	Member
12.	Miss. R. Lokesh Priyadharshini	Student	Member

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE

PREAMBLE

Women’s Welfare Cell was established in Annai College of Arts and Science in the year 2013, is indeed a land mark achievement of the college in pursuance of the policies of Women empowerment within the college ambit. According to the Constitution of India, Right to Equality is a Fundamental Right that includes the right to equality before law, prohibition of discrimination and equality of opportunities in matters of public employment. Whereas the Honurable Supreme Court of India has in the judgment of Vishakha & others vs. State of Rajasthan and others, reported in August 13, 1997, directed that the employers, the other responsible persons in-charge of working places or other institutions shall prevent or deter the commission of acts of any kind of harassment including sexual harassment. In compliance with the mandate of above the Supreme Court judgment, Annai College of Arts and Science adopt this policy to prevent, prohibit and punish sexual harassment of women at the workplace.

The college is committed to provide for all women who fall within its jurisdiction including its, academic, non – academic staff and students, a place of work and study free from sexual harassment, intimidation and exploitation. Every woman shall have a Right to be free from Sexual Harassment and the Right to Work in an environment free from any form of Sexual Harassment. In pursuance of the aforesaid directions of the Hono’ble Supreme Court, The Annai College of Arts and Science constitute a Women’s Welfare Cell for the above purpose.

SCOPE

The policy is applicable to all employees and students associated with Annai College of Arts and Science. Women’s Welfare Cell will be formed by our institution, which will undertake preventive action as well as grievance redressal body where complaints of sexual harassment at the work place will be contemplated. The committee will have representation of the members from all staff cadres.

CONSTITUTION

The objective of the Women’s Welfare Cell is to provide dignified working environment for women employees and students.

Women employees and students of Annai College of Arts and Science can approach Women’s Welfare Cell for any problem relating to their work, safety, security etc.
The following is the constitution of the Women’s Welfare Cell at Annai College of Arts and Science.

S.NO	NAME OF THE MEMBER	DESIGNATION	COMMITEE
1.	Dr. S. P. Manicka Vasugi	Principal	Chairperson
2.	Mrs. R. Latha	IQAC Coordinator	Member
3.	Dr. V. Mala	Assistant Professor	Coordinator
4.	Dr. J. Loyola Peeris	Assistant Professor	Member
5.	Mrs. A. Roja Bhanu	Assistant Professor	Member
6.	Mrs. J. Subhashini	Assistant Professor	Member
7.	Mrs. S. Anbarasi	Assistant Professor	Member
8.	Mrs. B. Jeyam	Assistant Professor	Member
9.	Dr. P. Samiyammal	Assistant Professor	Member
10.	Mrs. Sudhamani	NGO	Member
11.	Mrs. V. Malarkodi	Accountant	Member
12.	Miss. R. Lokesh Priyadharshini	Student	Member

FUNCTIONS

To promote gender equality.
To review safety and security measures for female employees and students at Annai College of Arts and Science.
To formulate programmes for the spread of awareness of these regulations among the employees and students.
To hold annual programmes, seminars, workshops and meetings regarding Women’s Welfare and resolution of any kind of Harassment.
To take measures towards sensitizing the college community on gender issues.
To deal with cases of sexual harassment in time bound manner and ensure appropriate action is taken against the offender.

COMPOSITION

The Principal will be the chairperson of the Women’s Welfare Cell.
IQAC co-ordinator will be one of the member.
The Women’s Welfare Cell shall consist of twelve members.
Eight members from teaching staff of the college shall be nominated by the Principal.
One of the women teaching staff member shall be convener of the Women’s Welfare Cell and shall be nominated by the Principal.
One woman member of the non – teaching staff in the college and shall be nominated by the Principal.
One woman representative from an NGO and one member from the reserved category nominated by the Principal.
One representative from the student’s council who is the women’s representative on the council for that year and shall be nominated by the Principal.

COMPLAINT REDRESSAL PROCEDURE

Procedure for registering complaints

A written application will be required to be given to the cell which will then be deliberated upon. Complaints can be lodged directly to the Chairperson of women cell or with any member of Women Cell. The person to whom the complaint is made should bring it to the notice of the women cell within two working days of its receipt by her. All complaints must be brought by the complaint in person. Once such complaint is received the committee shall proceed to enquire into it as per procedure specified. The application must consist of all the details of the sexual harassment that occurred, as well as the name of the alleged offender.

Contact

On receipt of the written complaint, Women cell shall try to establish contact with the victim and the first information person who may have approached the cell for justice and resolve the dispute through informal discussion The minutes of such discussion shall be recorded and the reason for not conducting enquiry shall also be mentioned; report of the enquiry should be signed by all the committee members present during the contact.

Confidential Investigation

All the complaints will be kept confidential.

Principle of Natural justice

The principle of natural justice will be adopted during investigation. Thus, both parties, the applicant as well as the alleged offender, will be given a platform to produce their respective views of the event and will be given a chance to explain their sides. The investigation will include interviews with witnesses produced by both sides, as well as other intervention that may be required. A copy of the investigative report, which consists of the investigation findings, will be given to both parties at the end of the investigation, as also a copy of the recommendations made by the cell to the management will be submitted to both parties. In case of any settlement brought about by the Committee must be mutually acceptable to both the aggrieved woman and defendant.

Punitive Recommendations

Action to be taken will be recommended by the cell, based on the findings from the investigative report. These will be reviewed by the management and as joint decision will be taken up. Punitive action could be in the nature of transfer, termination, slash the remuneration, consideration in annual performance appraisal, and demand for an apology to the victim, or any other, as deemed fit by the cell. The decision for punishment will be based on the impact of the harassment on the recipient of the same.

Reformative Recommendation

Recommendations will be made by the cell to the Dean and principal. These may be to bring into effect policy change/modification, or else to carry out some preventive action.

Forward to College Management

The investigative report, findings and recommendations of a case of sexual harassment must be duly forwarded to the management to effect action.

Action by College Management

Once the committee has reached a decision, management must acquiesce with its recommendations in the following manner:
If the accused is found guilty, no recognized victim will be forced to work under or with that person. If such a provision requires the transferring of people, the victim’s preferences should take priority.
If the committee reaches a verdict of guilty it must then decide upon the appropriate penalty. This decision may take into account past offences. In other words, repeat offenders may be given harsher penalties.
Penalties may be broadly grouped as:

Minor Penalties:

The harasser is required to write a letter of apology to the victim.
Management writes a letter of reprimand to the harasser including a warning against further activity.
Harasser will be suspended.
Management withholds the increment from harasser for one year.
The harasser is fined up to Rs 2000 or more depending on the position.

Major Penalties:

The harasser is demoted.
Management terminates employment of the harasser.
Management withholds the increment from harasser for more than one year.
The harasser is fined more.
If the harasser is a service taker or third party, management terminates service to the harasser.

A student guilty of sexual harassment shall be liable to give a written apology to the victim and any of the following punitive actions may be taken:

Suitable censure/warning
Withholding/withdrawing scholarship/fellowship and other benefits
Suspension/expulsion from the hostel
Expulsion from the college.
Any other action as per college rules.

PROTECTION AGAINST VICTIMIZATION

The committee notes and approves the policy on Protection against Victimization of the Women’s Welfare Cell as:

In the event of the complainer being a student and the accused being a teacher, during the pendency of the investigation and inquiry and even after such an enquiry if the teacher is found to be guilty, the accused will not act as an examiner for any examination for which the student appears.
In the event the complainer and the accused both being employees, during the pendency of the investigation and enquiry, even after such an enquiry if the accused is found to be guilty, the accused shall not write the confidential reports of the complainer, if it is otherwise so authorized.
- List of women faculty and staff with qualifications, designations, experience etc.
- Grievances of women.
- Enquiry reports
- Letter from the complainant if the solution delivered is satisfactory.

TERMS OF OFFICE

The members of the Women’s Welfare Cell shall hold office for a period of three years provided that where a person ceases to be an employee or student; she shall cease to be a member of the committee.

SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS

The Women’s Welfare Cell will meet at least twice every academic year.
Other than that, emergency meeting shall be called on receipt of a complaint.
The quorum for any meeting of the Women’s Welfare Cell will be fifty percent of its members.

MANAGEMENT OBLIGATIONS

The management of Annai College of Arts and Science is required to carry out all action recommended by Women’s Welfare Cell as well as to take action against the individual / group found to be guilty of sexual harassment at the workplace. Annai College of Arts and Science shall do its best to provide justice as per its good intentions and ability for the complaint.

FILES TO BE MAINTAINED

About the cell.
Student Profile.
Minutes of the meetings.
Reports of the programmes.

ACADEMIC YEAR 2016 – 2017
ACTIVITIES
S.NO	DATE	EVENT	NO OF PARTICIPANTS
1	10.03.16	World Women’s Day.	100
2	29.06.16	Self Defence Training Programme for Rural Children’s.	50
3	12.07.16	Jute Bag Preparation Training Programme for Rural Womens.	55
4	12.08.16	Women Empowerment Workshop.	58
5	01.09.16	A Seminar on Nutritional Values for Women.	60
6	27.12.16	A Seminar on Food and Nutrition for Women	80
ACADEMIC YEAR 2017 – 2018
ACTIVITIES
S.NO	DATE	EVENT	NO OF PARTICIPANTS
1	21.06.17	Entrepreneurial development programme.	60
2	12.07.17	Seminar on Women Rights.	100
3	24.08.17	Cancer awareness programme.	500
4	30.08.17	Women Entrepreneurship stall.	100
5	27.09.17	Seminar on Sexual Harassment.	60
ACADEMIC YEAR 2018 – 2019
ACTIVITIES
S.NO	DATE	EVENT	NO OF PARTICIPANTS
1	16.07.18	Awareness of yoga for women.	76
2	20.07.18	Personal Hygiene & Napkin preparation for women.	179
3	20.0818	Entrepreneurship development programme for women (Stone Design Work).	96
4	12.12.18	Know your problems and ways to tackle.	115
5	16.02.19	Women Empowerment programme.	120
ACADEMIC YEAR 2019 – 2020
ACTIVITIES
S.NO	DATE	EVENT	NO OF PARTICIPANTS
1	05.07.19	Equity & Equality of women in society.	72
2	18.07.19	Women Empowerment programme.	50
3	26.08.19	Beauty Therapy.	97
4	28.08.19	Posh Act – 2013 Sexual Harassment.	72
5	29.01.19	Workshop on skill Enhancement.	50
6	07.03.20	World Women’s Day “Veelunachiyar-in-veera vizha.	100
ACADEMIC YEAR 2020 – 2021
ACTIVITIES
S.NO	DATE	EVENT	NO OF PARTICIPANTS
1	08.03.21	World Women’s Day.	247
2	12.10.21	Sexual Harassment awareness Programme.	100