Sense and sensitisation

JUST when the #MeToo movement has succeeded in providing the momentum to all parties concerned — the victims, their colleagues, the accused as well as the organisations — to sit up, introspect and act to ensure the safety of the women from sexual predators at the workplace, ironically, the Punjab Women Commission seems to have jumped the gun. In a step smacking of total lack of application of mind towards judiciously tackling the matter and undue haste, the commission has ‘re-circulated’ the guidelines issued in 2013 to all government departments. 

Rather than laying stress on sensitising both men and women to working towards building a harmonious ambience wherein work and ability are sacrosanct, these rules imply that achieving this level of co-existence is an impossibility. The solution emanating from the fountainhead of such a school of thought can be nothing but regressive and prohibitory. And so it is: ministers and male officers barred from calling a woman employee to their office unless another woman is present; they will not communicate with women employees on the cellphone after office hours. Senseless! Even as men merrily enjoy free walk-ins and extended after-office-hour discussions, the ladies must twiddle their thumbs till an alibi for the boss is provided. No wonder, most women are up in arms against the move. They must be catapulted out of this disadvantageous position vis-à-vis their men colleagues. Men and women can work together. In this age of enhanced surveillance and CCTV cameras, and cyber devices, no person can feel not being under constant watch. 

 #MeToo’s purpose would stand defeated if safety came to a woman at the cost of her equal right to share the workload or progression in career. Interestingly, much before the SC allowed all women to the Sabarimala temple, a 41-year-old woman IAS officer had visited the hill shrine as part of her official duty, armed with a special order from the high court during 1994-95. However, respecting religious sentiments, she was prohibited from climbing the ‘Pathinettam Padi’, the sacred 18 gold-plated steps which lead to the sanctum sanctorum. Indeed, an exemplary middle path.