PaRCha - JNU - All Organisations - 2005 ID-44409
.
~'iict> 26/ 10/2004 .
.. ... . .. n , (S.C.S.) ~0 ~0 ~0.
I. Lilh"TT .
. .A. ~ .
\ . ~ ~ .
VfQ ~0 "l!O t§l~ffEj Cf)f iFild CICh Vv-l ~J?D JJDJr n c=r\ .~...,, ~ -q=r~ ( .
m .
"Tq .
NENEl\1 MISAO for Student Representative, Gender Sensitization Com .
Against Sexual Harassment (GSCASH) .
.
Friends. .
The Gender Sensitization Cmrunittee Against Sexual Harassment (GSCASH) has been an institution 111 the JNU ' .
campus sine\.! 1999. Based on Supreme Court guidelines set out in Vishaka vs. State ofRc~jasthan. 19(}7 for the .
pre\ ention and deterrence of sexual harassment in the workplace, the GSCASH, as a body dealing '' ith cases or .
sexual violence, is rare in India. The autonomy of such a. space needs to be guarded while simultaneously .
.
strent,rthcning its punitive aspccf .
R EDRESS A!\'D GSCASH .::.. .
Har=:tssment happens in an em ironment \Yhere the complainant is vulnerable to the defendant" s hierarchical!) I .
superior position. Sexual harassment of women. for example, operates within a patriarchal order ''here pm\ cr .
.
' .
imbalaHces in favour of men operate all the time. Within such a social order a body dealing with sexuaI violence needs to be given enough power and authority to ensure that the laws and procedures guarantee justice and proper 1 punishment. .
There have been several examples of complaints lodged in the GSCASH where the punishment in no \\ay suited .
the crime. The limitations of a recommendatory body need to be recognised as those limitations determine the .
Jc, cl of JUStice that can be achieYed: Bear in mind, GSCASH cannot punish harassers: it can on!) recommend .
pumshment. the Administration has the final say regarding what punishment. if any, is actually inflicted! For .
exampk. in a recent case the complainant ended up leaving the can1pus. her life completely disrupted. "hi le the .
defendant remained on campus suffering only minor penalties. In addition, abuses of the Amicahlc: .)'ettlernent .
.
clause within GSCASH need to be curtailed. .
SENSITIZATION AND GSCASH .
In addition to redress, sensitization is also an important responsibility of GSCASH. However~ sensitization must .
be vie,ved within a larger context. The struggle for gender equality should not be limited to the intemalisation of .
.
respect for individual space: gender equality can only be achieved when the structures of power within ''hich \\e .
II\~ :-~r~ fundJment=:tll~ altered. Furthcm1ore, sensitization alone will not eliminate harassment. .
As J space to address gender issues at an institutional level, the functioning of the GSCASH. it can be argued. is .
largely ~ased on politi~s.: wh~reas, gender is polit~caL It is important to m~ke.this distinction.. . . 1 .
.
Gender tssues are pohttcal 1f only because patnarchy enforces and mamtams the boundanes of mascullmt~ and femininity and sexual identities. \Vithin JNU, where spaces for addressing these issues have been attach:d. the le\ el of gcnd~r insensitivity in campus is unacceptable. Similarly, the homophobia and the inadequate response to it by campus organisations have raised questions as to the progressive and political nature of the campus community. Gender repression does not operate in isolation; it intersects with other fom1s of exploitation in its ! anempt to subjugate very specific members of society. .
CAMPUS AGENDA .
At a practical, day-to-day level, the absence of a gynaecologist at the health centre-a real problem for ''omen·s .
health -reflects the lack of seriousness towards women's health issues, especially when there arc other medical .
specialists available at the health centre. In addition, counselling services regarding sexuality and se~ual health .
.
can remove many misconceptions about these issues. .
There are many areas in the campus that are frequented but are dark or poorly lit making them insecure. The .
presence of \\Omen security personnel can to an extent make a change for the \Yomen when reporting incidents of .
se~ual assault and harassment. Sensitization programs need to be designed and extended to include our campus .
security. An effecti\'e system of crisis management by the GSCASH and the campus security sen ice that is both .
gender sensitive and prompt is needed. Finally. making GSCASH as transparent a body as possible by increasing .
1ts int~raction v>ith students .
.
These are some of the issues J intend to highlight in the coming year if elected to the GSCASH. Kind!~· support .
my campa1gn. .
.
Yours truly, Nenem Misao (PhD 34 semester, CSSS) .
.
.
PaRCha - JNU - All Organisations - 2005 ID-44409
.
~'iict> 26/ 10/2004 .
.. ... . .. n , (S.C.S.) ~0 ~0 ~0.
I. Lilh"TT .
. .A. ~ .
\ . ~ ~ .
VfQ ~0 "l!O t§l~ffEj Cf)f iFild CICh Vv-l ~J?D JJDJr n c=r\ .~...,, ~ -q=r~ ( .
m .
"Tq .
NENEl\1 MISAO for Student Representative, Gender Sensitization Com .
Against Sexual Harassment (GSCASH) .
.
Friends. .
The Gender Sensitization Cmrunittee Against Sexual Harassment (GSCASH) has been an institution 111 the JNU ' .
campus sine\.! 1999. Based on Supreme Court guidelines set out in Vishaka vs. State ofRc~jasthan. 19(}7 for the .
pre\ ention and deterrence of sexual harassment in the workplace, the GSCASH, as a body dealing '' ith cases or .
sexual violence, is rare in India. The autonomy of such a. space needs to be guarded while simultaneously .
.
strent,rthcning its punitive aspccf .
R EDRESS A!\'D GSCASH .::.. .
Har=:tssment happens in an em ironment \Yhere the complainant is vulnerable to the defendant" s hierarchical!) I .
superior position. Sexual harassment of women. for example, operates within a patriarchal order ''here pm\ cr .
.
' .
imbalaHces in favour of men operate all the time. Within such a social order a body dealing with sexuaI violence needs to be given enough power and authority to ensure that the laws and procedures guarantee justice and proper 1 punishment. .
There have been several examples of complaints lodged in the GSCASH where the punishment in no \\ay suited .
the crime. The limitations of a recommendatory body need to be recognised as those limitations determine the .
Jc, cl of JUStice that can be achieYed: Bear in mind, GSCASH cannot punish harassers: it can on!) recommend .
pumshment. the Administration has the final say regarding what punishment. if any, is actually inflicted! For .
exampk. in a recent case the complainant ended up leaving the can1pus. her life completely disrupted. "hi le the .
defendant remained on campus suffering only minor penalties. In addition, abuses of the Amicahlc: .)'ettlernent .
.
clause within GSCASH need to be curtailed. .
SENSITIZATION AND GSCASH .
In addition to redress, sensitization is also an important responsibility of GSCASH. However~ sensitization must .
be vie,ved within a larger context. The struggle for gender equality should not be limited to the intemalisation of .
.
respect for individual space: gender equality can only be achieved when the structures of power within ''hich \\e .
II\~ :-~r~ fundJment=:tll~ altered. Furthcm1ore, sensitization alone will not eliminate harassment. .
As J space to address gender issues at an institutional level, the functioning of the GSCASH. it can be argued. is .
largely ~ased on politi~s.: wh~reas, gender is polit~caL It is important to m~ke.this distinction.. . . 1 .
.
Gender tssues are pohttcal 1f only because patnarchy enforces and mamtams the boundanes of mascullmt~ and femininity and sexual identities. \Vithin JNU, where spaces for addressing these issues have been attach:d. the le\ el of gcnd~r insensitivity in campus is unacceptable. Similarly, the homophobia and the inadequate response to it by campus organisations have raised questions as to the progressive and political nature of the campus community. Gender repression does not operate in isolation; it intersects with other fom1s of exploitation in its ! anempt to subjugate very specific members of society. .
CAMPUS AGENDA .
At a practical, day-to-day level, the absence of a gynaecologist at the health centre-a real problem for ''omen·s .
health -reflects the lack of seriousness towards women's health issues, especially when there arc other medical .
specialists available at the health centre. In addition, counselling services regarding sexuality and se~ual health .
.
can remove many misconceptions about these issues. .
There are many areas in the campus that are frequented but are dark or poorly lit making them insecure. The .
presence of \\Omen security personnel can to an extent make a change for the \Yomen when reporting incidents of .
se~ual assault and harassment. Sensitization programs need to be designed and extended to include our campus .
security. An effecti\'e system of crisis management by the GSCASH and the campus security sen ice that is both .
gender sensitive and prompt is needed. Finally. making GSCASH as transparent a body as possible by increasing .
1ts int~raction v>ith students .
.
These are some of the issues J intend to highlight in the coming year if elected to the GSCASH. Kind!~· support .
my campa1gn. .
.
Yours truly, Nenem Misao (PhD 34 semester, CSSS) .
.
.