The discrimination against women begins even before they are born, when expectant parents abort their unborn daughters. If they survive at this stage, they are compelled to marry at an early age before they are physically, mentally or emotionally mature. It has also been observed that still a significant majority of our countrymen treat their daughters next in preference to their sons in terms of level of nutrition, education, clothing and standard of living. What is most gruesome is the fact that even after crossing such impermeable and invisible structures of discrimination and violence, they still find themselves threatened at their workplace. The worst side of this practice is that the woman is to suffer for what is forced upon her without her being in anyway responsible. Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace is a critical manifestation of gender-based discrimination and a human right violation. It violates woman's fundamental rights to equality and right to life guaranteed under the Constitution of India and numerous international conventions and declarations. It creates an insecure & hostile work environment, which discourages women's participation in work, thereby adversely affecting their right to be equal in comparison to their male counterparts in the same employment as well as basic freedom to carry and practice a profession or occupation of their choice. The deeply embedded nature of power hierarchies present in society are reflected in the workplace. In order to transform workplace culture and individuals, the Parliament has passed the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act in the year 2013. Before this act the harassment of women at workplace was regulated by various provisions under criminal laws and guidelines suggested in Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan. The current study is an attempt to understand the concept of Sexual harassment and various complexities that grip this problem, evolution of law relating to sexual harassment in India, and to analyse how far the Protection of Women from Sexual Harassment Act, 2013 is successful in achieving the intended objectives of ensuring equality, dignity and liberty to women at their workplace.
