On Tuesday 13 Mar 2012, Nidhin Sasi wrote: > [snip] > The ITEC (IT and ITeS Employees Centre), a support group for IT > professionals, and ITHI, a forum of women employees in IT and ITeS, > had been campaigning against exemption from the Act. > > Members of the two forums had campaigned against exemption as well as > the proposal to extend the working-hour deadline for women employees > from the existing 8 p.m. They had said that extension of > working-hour deadline will only help IT/ITeS establishments to get > away from their responsibilities of transportation and security for > women employees till 10 p.m. > > ITHI had initiated an online campaign and a petition with signatures > from 700 women workers had been submitted to the Labour Secretary > and the Labour Commissioner. > > The Karnataka State Women's Commission had also raised objections to > the exemption given to the IT industry from the law on the ground > that it leaves wide ground for exploitation of women in the sector.
This takes the cake for retrogressive outlooks. In effect, it's punishing industry for employing women by making it more expensive and complex (extra security, extra transport, conformation to laws, etc.) And then people whine about there not being enough women in the IT industry! If I had an IT company in Karnataka (I presume that's the "State" being referred to everywhere, since it is never mentioned by name) I'd immediately replace all the women who worked in my office with men in order to keep costs and complexity down. Responsibility for security and safety of women (or any sector of society) cannot be devolved from the state to industry. It is the state's job to protect its citizens, and if it is failing in doing that it must be held accountable and measures taken to improve the situation. Penalising industry (and women) because the state has failed to meet its obligations will affect both revenue and, in the long term, gender equality. Incidentally, what is the "exploitation of women" that is specific to this sector and not covered under normal laws? Regards, -- Raj -- Raj Mathur || [email protected] || GPG: http://otheronepercent.blogspot.com || http://kandalaya.org || CC68 It is the mind that moves || http://schizoid.in || D17F _______________________________________________ network mailing list [email protected] http://lists.fosscom.in/listinfo.cgi/network-fosscom.in
