We were delight to be invited by IIT Bombay to deliver a lecture around the theme “Gender Related Issues” during the initiative – Leadership for Academicians Programme (LEAP) at IIT Bombay.

IIT Bombay organised LEAP, an initiative by MHRD, for potential academicians from Centrally Funded Technical Institutes to become future leaders. The participants (~30 members) in this program were senior faculty from several institutes of higher education having prior experience in administration. The program was aimed at developing next level of leadership in Academia through a 3 week long course. The idea was to impart a leader’s perspective in running large, complex and high impact organizations.

From a sexual harassment at workplace law perspective, we discussed the following with the participants:

Need for a gender balanced workplace
Sensitisation to professional etiquette
Loci of gender interactions in academic and academic administrative setting
Different strategies for student, staff and faculty groups
Understanding of varied workplaces and residential habitats
Creating conducive gender sensitive environment or protocols
Preempting inappropriate work environments and practices
Channels and mechanisms of expressing discomfort
Channels for escalation of complaint
Statutory and legal provisions and requirements
Institutional communication of the framework and of the gender related ethos to all the players

It was a great learning experience for us.