Dimapur Officials Address Workplace Harassment at ATI Workshop

Kohima: State officials met in Dimapur to address sexual harassment in government offices. The Administrative Training Institute teamed up with the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms for a two-day workshop. They aimed to fix deep flaws in how cases get reported.

Fear stops victims from speaking out. Workers worry about stigma and retaliation. The group found that ignorance of the law helps people brush off gross remarks as mere jokes. These habits become normal. The training highlighted a desperate need to fix this.

Participants called for better oversight. They want tougher Internal Complaints Committees. They also demanded more respect on the job. V Shashank Shekhar, Additional Chief Secretary and Director General of ATI, led the sessions. He listened as staff shared stories about the current culture. Staff must learn the PoSH Act. It is a legal shield.

The discussion spread beyond office walls. Experts pointed to churches and civil groups. These organizations hold power to drive change. Families also carry blame. They need to teach ethics to kids early on. The workshop summary noted that "participants identified fear of stigmatization and retribution as some of the challenges in reporting cases of inappropriate behaviours in the workplace." Everyone must stay accountable.