States » SouthPosted at: Oct 18 2026 7:44AM


Kerala plans new women’s policy with focus on mental health and workplace security

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 18 (UNI) Kerala will introduce a comprehensive women’s policy prioritising social security, workplace safety and mental well-being, Labour and Women and Child Development Minister Bindu Krishna has said.
The government plans to announce the policy on the next International Women’s Day after incorporating suggestions and recommendations from people representing different walks of life, she said, stressing that women’s dignity, self-respect and security would remain central to the proposed framework.
The minister said this while inaugurating a state-level seminar on the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, and women’s mental health, organised by the Kerala Women’s Commission at the Government Rest House in Thycaud here.
Stating that the government was committed to safeguarding women’s interests, Bindu Krishna said providing a secure and dignified working environment for women required coordinated efforts by the government, employers and society.
Under the POSH Act, establishments employing 10 or more people are required to constitute Internal Committees to receive and address complaints of sexual harassment. However, these committees function only nominally in several institutions, she said.
Women continued to face apprehensions about losing their jobs or suffering humiliation if they lodged complaints, highlighting the need for effective implementation of the law, the minister added.
Workplace harassment and indignity could adversely affect women’s psychological well-being and personal lives. The department would intensify monitoring and conduct strict inspections to ensure that complaint redressal mechanisms function properly in all establishments, she said.
Women’s Commission chairperson P. Sathidevi, who presided over the function, said awareness of laws protecting women must extend to men as well to ensure that the safeguards provided by existing legislation translated into effective protection.
UNI DS
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