West Bengal government guideline after Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Hospital Tragic Event

Source: The post West Bengal government guideline after Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Hospital Tragic Event has been created, based on the article “Regressive move: Reducing work hours of women is not the way to ensure their safety” published in “The Hindu” on 21st August 2024

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 2- Governance-mechanisms, laws, institutions and bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections

Context: The article criticizes a West Bengal government guideline that suggests minimizing night duty for women after a brutal incident at a Kolkata hospital. It argues that such measures are regressive, limiting women’s work opportunities instead of ensuring workplace safety.

For detailed information on Women Safety in India read this article here

What Are the West Bengal government guidelines after Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Hospital Tragic Event?

1. Minimize night duties for women where possible, aiming to enhance their safety.
2. Implement the ‘Rattirer Shaathi’ program, which includes:

a) Creating safe zones with CCTV surveillance.

b) Providing separate restrooms and toilets for women.

c) Introducing a special mobile phone app for safety.

What Are the Concerns About This Approach?

1. Reducing night duty for women could lead to their exclusion from the workforce, which is already low. The labour force participation rate for urban women in India is just 25.2% (April-June 2024, Periodic Labour Force Survey).
2. Limiting work hours might cause women to lose jobs and financial independence, exacerbating gender inequality.
3. The proposed measures, such as creating safe zones and separate restrooms, should have been implemented earlier rather than restricting women’s work opportunities after a tragic incident.

What Is the Supreme Court’s Involvement?

1. The Supreme Court took suo motu cognisance of the Kolkata case involving the murder of a woman doctor.
2. A national task force was announced by the court to examine the safety of doctors and medical professionals.
3. This action underscores the court’s commitment to addressing gender violence in professional sectors.
4. The involvement of the Supreme Court follows a pattern of judicial responses to high-profile cases of violence against women, reminiscent of the actions taken after the 2012 Delhi rape incident.
5. The court’s action indicates a proactive stance in ensuring workplace safety, particularly for vulnerable groups like women in high-risk professions.

What Should be Done?

1. Beyond implementing harsher laws, there is a need for societal change.
2. Justice R. Banumathi emphasized in 2017 that changing societal mindsets and raising awareness about gender justice are crucial to reducing violence against women.

For detailed information on Protection of Women from Sexual Harassment Act (POSH Act) read this article here

Question for practice:

Discuss the potential impact of the West Bengal government’s guidelines, introduced after the tragic incident at Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Hospital, on women’s workforce participation and gender equality.