(1) The rules, regulations or any such other instrument by which ICC shall function have to be updated and revised from time-to-time, as court judgments and other laws and rules will continue to revise the legal framework within which the Act is to be implemented.
(2) The Executive Authority of the HEIs must mandatorily extend full support to see that the recommendations of the ICC are implemented in a timely manner. All possible institutional resources must be given to the functioning of the ICC, including office and building infrastructure (computers, photocopiers, audio-video, equipment, etc.), staff (typists, counselling and legal services) as, well as a sufficient allocation of financial resources.
(3) Vulnerable groups are particularly prone to harassment and also find it more difficult to complain. Vulnerability can be socially compounded by region, class, caste, sexual orientation, minority identity and by being differently abled. Enabling committees must be sensitive to such vulnerabilities and special needs.
(4) Since research students and doctoral candidates are particularly vulnerable the HEIs must ensure that the guidelines for ethics for Research Supervision are put in place.
(5) All HEIs must conduct a regular and half yearly review of the efficacy and implementation of their anti-sexual harassment policy.
14 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART III—SEC. 4]
(6) All Academic Staff Colleges (now known asHuman Resource Development Centres (HRDCs) and Regional Centres for Capacity Building (RCCBs) must incorporate sessions on gender in their orientation and refresher courses. This should be across disciplines, and preferably mainstreamed using the UGC SAKSHAM Report which provides indicative modules in this regard.
(7) Orientation courses for administrators conducted in HEIs must have a module on gender sensitization and sexual harassment issues. Regular workshops are to be conducted for all sections of the HEI community.
(8) Counselling services must be institutionalised in all HEIs and must have well trained full-time counsellors.
(9) Many HEIs having large campuses have a deficit in lighting and are experienced as unsafe places by the institutional community. Adequate lighting is a necessary aspect of infrastructure and maintenance.
(10) Adequate and well trained security including a good proportion or balance of women security staff is necessary. Security staff must receive gender sensitization training as a part of conditions of appointment.
(11) HEIs must ensure reliable public transport, especially within large campuses between different sections of the HEI, hostels, libraries, laboratories and main buildings, and especially those that do not have good access for day scholars. Lack of safety as well as harassment is exacerbated when employees and students cannot depend on safe public transport. Reliable transport may be considered by HEIs to enable employees and students to work late in libraries, laboratories and to attend programmes in the evenings.
(12) Residential HEIs should accord priority to construction of women’s hostels. For the growing population of young women wishing to access higher education, hostel accommodation is desirable in both urban and rural areas and at all levels of higher education which provides a modicum of protection from harassment of all kinds.
(13) Concern for the safety of women students must not be cited to impose discriminatory rules for women in the hostels as compared to male students. Campus safety policies should not result in securitization, such as over monitoring or policing or curtailing the freedom of movement, especially for women employees and students.
(14) Adequate health facilities are equally mandatory for all HEIs. In the case of women this must include gender sensitive doctors and nurses, as well as the services of a gynaecologist.
(15) The Women’s Development Cells in colleges shall be revived and funded to be able to carry out the range of activities required for gender sensitizationand remain autonomous of the functioning of anti sexual harassment committees and ICCs. At the same time they shall extend their activities to include gender sensitization programmes in consultation with ICCs and help to disseminate antisexual harassment policies on campuses on a regular basis. The ‘cultural’ space and the ‘formal academic space’ need to collaborate to render these workshops innovative, engaging and nonmechanical.
(16) Hostel Wardens, Provosts, Principals, Vice Chancellors, Legal Officers and other functionaries must be brought within the domain of accountability through amendmentsin the rules or Ordinances where necessary.