Karnataka sets national benchmark with over 60,000 POSH committees to safeguard women at workplaces

In a major step towards ensuring women’s safety at workplaces, the Karnataka State Commission for Women has spearheaded the formation of over 60,000 Internal Complaint Committees (ICCs) across both government and private sectors in the state. These committees, also known as POSH Committees (Prevention of Sexual Harassment), are designed to address and resolve complaints of harassment and misconduct faced by women in professional settings.

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As per the data released by Nagalakshmi Choudhary, Chairperson of the Karnataka State Women’s Commission, 22,516 ICCs have been constituted in government offices, while 37,991 committees are now active within private institutions such as schools, factories, garment units, offices, and social organizations. This initiative makes Karnataka the state with the highest number of such committees in India, setting a national example in workplace safety and compliance with the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.

These committees are now present in every district and zone of the state, reinforcing structural support for working women across industries and professions. The move is seen as both preventive and remedial, aiming to create safe, responsive, and inclusive environments.

In a complementary effort, the Women’s Commission has written to the state government requesting the inclusion of chapters on Women’s Commission and Child Rights Commission in school textbooks. A formal appeal has been made to introduce a dedicated lesson for 7th-grade students, in order to raise awareness and educate young minds about their rights and institutional safeguards from an early age.