Woman of her kind.........

Sandhya Panigrahi, is not a celebrity. She is merely popular in the town, but she is one of her kind women. A women who will make other women be a woman like her. Calm, knowledgeable, focused, ethical, righteous and all that an ideal human being should be.

The first time I met her was few years  back. Her son was in college, husband working at a renowned firm and a mother-in-law. I saw her like a typical housewife who has nothing to do with outside world. Stay all day at home or so to say in the kitchen and keep everyone's wishes and demands fulfilled in her family. The one time she invited me for dinner she had prepared all possible types of Oriya dishes, probably more items than a buffet in some 3 star restaurant. The one thing that strike me back then was that she was full of ideas. Any topic we had as a dinner table conversation, she had a logical point of view to it. She had in-depth idea about starting a business, investing in shares, cooking off course, general awareness.

The next time I met her was after 2 years of my first visit. It was when her husband had expired, her son had started working at a big firm in a metropolitan city and that mother-in-law was bed ridden due to paralysis attack. Things were not the same around her, life for her appeared to be direction-less. But the very basic nature of her, remained. The real Sandhya with all her inhibition stayed intact. The inner strength which shined in her eyes were as it used to be. Ideally in such a situation we expect the woman of house to go weak and look out for help from other male members of her family. But this lady was different. She had her siblings beside her, her relatives from both mother's side and her husband's side. With all these people around she chose to stand right up. Take the guidance from others and do what she felt is the right thing to do. She chose to stay with her mother-in-law and take care of her and get the best treatment possible in that small town. She chose to let go of her son to pursue his dreams of go ahead with his career. She started teaching the young girls the art of stitching as she was good at it. She build her knowledge in investments, shares/equity and all possible sources to save money and grow herself as an individual. She got on to the social networking websites to be aware of as many things as she can. Her husband used to drive this car given by his company. She requested the Director of company to give it to her on a lower price so that she can use it for her convenience.

At first I was pleasantly surprised to see her so focused and strong. I was amazed to look at the energy she had. But as I looked around, I saw people laughing at her. They thought she has lost her mind as she is trying to do everything at once.  They made fun of her for learning car driving at this age They though she is trying to be an entrepreneur at this age by starting stitching classes. There were so many things everyone pin pointed and gossiped about. But nothing shook her from her target, nothing distracted her from doing what she was willing to do.

I met her again few weeks back.  This time around I saw the change around her. Every single person in her family believed in her. She was successful in everything that she started with a good heart. She seemed to have enlightened her surroundings. Her attitude, value and thoughts has influenced so many in family and near n dear ones. People ask for her advice when they want to start something new. People ask her for a ride if they are want to go some place. It's amazing to see such a change in a small city like Rourkela.

She might not know but she inspired me as well. She moved me to get up and get going. As I thought of what can I add to my women empowerment blog I could only think of her...

Indian Law on "The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013"

Purpose:

To provide protection against sexual harassment of women at workplace and for the prevention and redressal of complaints of sexual harassment and for the matters connected therewith of thereto.

Why this Act: 

• Sexual Harassment at a workplace is considered violated of women's right to equality, life and liberty. It creates an insecure and hostile work environment, which discourages women's participation in work, thereby adversely affecting their social and economic empowerment and the goal of inclusive growth.
• With more and more women joining the workforce, both is organised and un-organised sectors, ensuring and enabling working environment for women through legislation is felt imperative by the Government.

Two entities affected/involved:

Employee: A person employed at the workplace for any work on regular, temporary, ad-hoc, daily wage basis, either directly or through an agent, including a contractor, with or without the knowledge of the principal employer, whether or not for remuneration or working on the voluntary basis or otherwise, whether the terms of employment are express or implied and includes a co-worker, a contract worker, probationer, trainee, apprentice or called by any other such name.

Employer: In relation to ant department, organisation, undertaking, establishment, enterprise, institution, office, branch or unit of the appropriate Government or a local authority in the above.

If not specified any person responsible for management, supervision or control of the workplace.

Sexual Harassment Defined:

Includes any one or more of the following un-welcomed acts or behaviour (whether directly or by implication) viz:

Physical Contact or advances

A demand or request for sexual favour

Making sexually coloured remarks

Showing pornography

Any unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature.

Constitution of Internal Complaints Committee:

Every Employer of a workplace shall by order in writing constitute a committee to be known as "Internal Complaints Committee"

Member of the Committee:

Presiding Officer who shall be a women employed at a senior level at workplace from amongst the employees.

Not less than two members from amongst employees preferably committed to the cause of women/experience in social work/have legal knowledge.

One member from the NGO/associations committed to the cause of women/person familiar with the issues related to sexual harassment.

The committee members to hold office for three years and External member will be paid fees.

Complaint of sexual Harassment

A written Complaint to the Internal Committee by the complaint, within a period of three months from the date of incident and incase of series of incidents, within a period of three months from the date of last incident.

The internal committee can extend the period with reasons in writing exceeding not more than 3 months.

Legal heir or such other person can make a complaint on account of her physical or mental incapacity or death.

Provisions for Complaint Redressal:

Written report is necessary in each person

• Conciliation - At the request of the aggrieved woman before initiating an inquiry to settle the matter.
• No monetary settlement shall be made as a basis for conciliation and no inquiry will be conducted.

Inquiry into Complaint

The internal committee has same power as are vested in a civil court, such as

• Summoning and enforcing attendance of any person and examining him on oath.
• Requiring the discovery and production of documents.
• Any other matter which may prescribed

Inquiry to be completed in 90 days.

FALSE Accusation:

Punishment for False or Malicious Complaint and False Evidence.  Mere inability to substantiate a complaint or provide adequate proof need not attract action against a complaint.

If the internal committee comes to a conclusion that it was false and/or malicious accusation and/or the witness has given false evidence or produced any forged or misleading document, it may recommend the employer for the complaint and/or the witness to take action in accordance with the provision of the service rules or where no such service rules exist, in such manner as may be prescribed.

Right to Information

1. Who has the right to information?
• All citizens of India have the right to information.
2. What information do you have the right to ?
• Under the RTI Act, you have the right to:
• Inspect documents, recodes and public works.
• Take notes, extracts or certified copies of documents or records.
• Take certified samples of material used for public works.
• Obtain information in the form of diskettes, floppies, tapes, video cassettes or in any other electronic mode of through printouts.
3. Whom must the application be made to ?
• The application must be made to the Public Information Officer of the concerned department.
4. Is there an application fee ?
• Yes. The application fee is 10/-. It is to be paid by cash/demand draft/bankers cheque/court fee stamp.
• The fees regarding information are:
• 2/- for information on A4/A3 size paper. In case of a bigger size paper of paper, then actual cost of paper.
• For inspecting records: free for the first one hour. 5/- charged for every fifteen minutes after that.
• 50/- per diskette/floppy for information provided on diskette/floppy.
• Samples/models: actual cost of sample/model.
• Written information: actual cost of publication.
5. What is the time limit for receiving information?
• Information has to be given/rejected by the Public Information Officer within:
• 30 days for ordinary information.
• 48 hours for application seeking information regarding a person's life and his freedom. This is so because these are more critical issues.
6. What information can be rejected by the Public Information Officer?
• Any information that would affect the independence and unity of India.
• Any information that a court or tribunal (court-like body) has forbidden from being published.
7. What do you do if your application is rejected or you are aggrieved with the order?
• You can file an appeal with the Appellate Authority in the same department within 30 days from the date on which the order was given.
• You can file an appeal against the order of the Appellate Authority with the State Information Commission within 90 days from the date on which the order was gien by the Appellate Authority.

Source: Vogue November'14 issue.

Right to Education

Did you know?

• Every child of age 6-14 years has the right to free elementary education (classes 1 to 8).
• A school owned by the government has to provide free elementary education to all children admitted in the school.
• A school receiving aid/grants from the government has to provide free elementary education to a minimum 25 percent of their class strength.
• Unaided schools have to provide free elementary education to children from weaker sections and disadvantaged groups living within a km area around the school. These are explained below.
• "Child belonging to weaker section" means a child belonging to either of the following:
• Vimukta Jatis
• Nomadic Tribes (VJNT)
• Other Backward Classes (OBC)
• Special Backward Classes (SBC)
• The religious Minorities specified.
• Annual income of whose parent or guardian is below one lakh rupees:
• "Child belonging yo disadvantaged group" means a child belonging to:
• Scheduled Caste
• Scheduled Tribe
• Child with disability
• The school are not allowed to differentiate between these students and the regular students such as:
• Make them sit in different classes.
• Hold classes at different timings or at different places.
• There should be no discrimination or difference made with regards to uniform, books, library, extra-curricular, sports etc.
• School cannot differentiate between students with disabilities and other students.
• The school is not allowed to ask for money from you or your child for the free seat given to you under Right to Education (RTE) .If they do please report it to the local authorities.
• The school cannot make you pay any fee for the following:
• Writing a test
• Oral test
• Counselling
• Interviews
• Every application made for a free seat under RTE has to be made only when the certificate of proof is obtained/submitted. The following is a list of certificates needed:
• Birth certificate
• Income certificate from a Revenue Officer (Tahsildar and above)
• Cast certificate for the parents and child, made by the Deputy Collector or Sub Divisional Officer (Revenue).
• For disabled children, they have to have a certificate from the Civil Surgeon.
• Proof of Residence: 
• A school cannot deny admission to a child just because he does not have a birth certificate.
• A school cannot expel a child before completion of his elementary education.
• A school cannot hold back a child before completion of his elementary education.
• In case of complaints, you should approach the local authorities.

Source: Vogue November'14 issue.