Opinion Anger is good
Lets ensure that the Indian workplace institutionalises gender diversity and equality.
Lets ensure that the Indian workplace institutionalises gender diversity and equality.
Historically,the corporate world has been a male bastion with restricted entry for women. It is only in recent times that this men only club has opened up its membership to women. There has been a steady increase in the number of women professionals in the corporate workplace the world over,and India is no exception. Corporate India now boasts of a growing tribe of women professionals,who constitute 24 per cent of the workforce. This trend has certainly upset the equilibrium in the workplace. Men still find it difficult to accept women as their colleagues and,in many cases,as their bosses. After all,traditionally,Indian society and Indian men have regarded women as subservient home makers and not as equal partners in the economic mainstream. It is this deep-rooted cultural and societal mindset that manifests itself in the way men behave with their female colleagues in their shared workspace.
In the past,the few women professionals who dotted our corporate landscape suffered in silence,not willing to complain about discrimination or harassment for fear of losing their jobs. Today,there is strength in numbers and women are willing to raise issues of gender discrimination and sexual harassment publicly. Although women have greater confidence,financial independence,strong peer groups and a deeper understanding of their rights,they are still reluctant to expose issues related to sexual harassment and to take their tormentors down the legal path of justice. There exists,unfortunately,a huge psychological challenge that women,and society as a whole,need to address. This relates to behavioural attitudes and codes of conduct in the workplace.
It was in 1997 that a womens rights group called Vishaka filed a PIL in the Supreme Court in response to a humiliating legal battle fought by a rape victim in Rajasthan,who did not get justice and was shamed and ostracised by her community instead. Consequently,the Supreme Courts Vishaka judgment laid down guidelines for employers to deal with complaints of sexual harassment/ assault at the workplace,which included the formation of an independent redressal committee.
If one looks at the statistics of reported rape cases,it is obvious that women have been denied justice. Between 2009 and 2012,over one lakh cases of rape and molestation were registered,but,sadly,the convictions declined from 44 per cent in 1973 to 24 per cent in 2012.
Against this backdrop,the alleged sexual assault case involving the former editor-in-chief of Tehelka,Tarun Tejpal,has yet again revealed the ugly truth of how women are victimised in their workplaces. Worse still,Tejpal initially confessed to misconduct,and then retracted once he realised the gravity of the case. The victim,on the other hand,has courageously steered the matter on a legal course and is now braving the onslaught of allegations and tirades from Tejpals camp. Why did you ride the elevator with Tejpal for a second time? is one such ridiculous question. Inane comments such as these,about such serious matters,are what undermine the status of women in our society. Another outrageous comment came from Naresh Agarwal,a UP politician,who now questions the employability of women. Such irresponsible utterances must be condemned if we are ever to build an equitable and modern society.
We have been privy to a number of such shameful instances of misdemeanour. From the young woman lawyer who was interning with a Supreme Court judge recently alleging that she was sexually abused by him,to other examples in the corporate world like the cases of Phaneesh Murthy (Infosys,iGate),David Davidar (Penguin International),Gopal Kanda (MDLR Airlines),Pradeep Srivastava (Idea Cellular) and many others,the list is endless. The anger and outrage expressed this time has reached a critical decibel level and needs to be channelled into positive change. We cannot allow our attention span to be so short. We must act swiftly and surely to ensure that the Vishaka guidelines are implemented by every organisation. Women must be empowered and provided a safe working environment.
The media,including social media,has elevated such issues to the national platform,and it is imperative that we use this high-profile case of alleged sexual assault to sensitise the corporate world and society at large about the need for building mutual respect between men and women,and,more importantly,between employers and employees. The changing face of the Indian workplace has to embrace gender diversity and gender equality. It is imperative that employers and employees understand the importance of a moral code of conduct that is key to building an equitable work environment,which offers equal opportunities to men and women. After all,we live in a time when technology has created an open society,where there should be no gender barriers.
The core issue pivots around a moral code of conduct that guides the behaviour of men and women at the workplace. While technology has indeed broken many barriers,at a sociological and cultural level we need to draw a line between personal and professional conduct and emphasise the need for mutual respect,both at the workplace and within society. More importantly,we need a change of mindset that goes beyond regulation and punitive action. We must create an environment that nurtures respect and understanding irrespective of caste,creed,or gender. Only then can we be proud of our communities and our country.
The writer is chairperson and managing director of Biocon Limited
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