Min Geetha chairs meet to ensure POSH Act implementation in textile sector
At the meeting, the minister said, "Safety is non-negotiable. TIC's collaborative framework is to shape TN's textile future by prioritising its women workforce."
Social Welfare Minister P Geetha Jeevan (Photo: Justin George)
CHENNAI: To prevent sexual harassment at the workplace and ensure robust compliance with the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) Act across Tamil Nadu's textile manufacturing hubs, the Textile Industry Coalition (TIC) recently held a steering committee meeting with Minister of Social Welfare and Women Empowerment, P Geetha Jeevan.
In the second steering committee meeting of its kind, the discussion witnessed representatives from the united government bodies, global brands, factory owners, trade unions, civil society, industry associations and United Nations (UN) agencies to advance safe and secure workplaces in the state.
At the meeting, the minister said, "Safety is non-negotiable. TIC's collaborative framework is to shape TN's textile future by prioritising its women workforce."
For the women workforce, the TIC team had undertaken interventions to strengthen policy frameworks, promote zero-tolerance communication and build institutional capacities to ensure effective implementation of POSH compliance.
Some of the key components include safety audits in factories and in communities, gender-responsive audio-visual participatory and Information Education Communication (IEC) training materials and tools and community engagement through change agents and First Information Persons (FIPs).
Mageswari Ravikumar, director of the department of Handlooms, Handicrafts, Textiles and Khadi, emphasised, "Women have long been the backbone of our handloom and textile sectors. Through the textile Industry coalition, we are focusing on creating systems that respect, protect their rights and empower them at every level of the supply chain."
TIC, a multi-stakeholder initiative committed to eliminating gender-based violence across TN's textile sector, has been launched in Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode, Namakkal, Karur and Dindigul.
Meanwhile, the Chennai district collector in October 2024 urged companies with ten or more women employees to form the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC). The companies were mandated to submit an annual report on the functioning of the ICC to the district social welfare officer. Companies not acting on complaints will be fined Rs 50,000 along with revoking the license or registration, the circular stressed.
