Savitri Thakur
As India moves towards the centenary year of its Independence in 2047, the Government of India under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has placed women-led development at the centre of national progress. Recognising the decisive role of women in inclusive economic growth, the government has laid special emphasis on creating a safe, dignified and sensitive work environment that enables women to advance confidently in their professional spheres. In this direction, the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, serves as a significant foundation, providing a strong legal framework to address grievances and uphold the rights of working women across the country.
Over the past decade, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, women’s empowerment has not remained merely a slogan, but has been transformed into a matter of policy, institutional reform and effective implementation. Viewing ‘Nari Shakti’ as the cornerstone of national advancement, comprehensive structural reforms have been undertaken in areas such as education, health, livelihood, financial inclusion and security. An important and practical example of this forward-looking vision is the SHe-Box portal, launched in 2017 by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. It has emerged as a powerful digital platform designed to ensure women’s dignity, safety and easy access to justice at the workplace, while strengthening accountability within institutions.
Today, women’s participation in the workforce in India is steadily increasing, reflecting changing social attitudes and expanding economic opportunities. The female labour force participation rate has risen from 23.3 per cent in 2017–18 to 41.7 per cent in 2023–24. Women are working in large numbers not only in government and private sectors but also in startups, the service sector, education, healthcare, manufacturing and the unorganised sector. They are contributing as entrepreneurs, professionals, skilled workers, managers and leaders. In such a scenario, it becomes imperative that workplaces remain safe, respectful and free from fear or discrimination. The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, (POSH Act) was enacted with this objective, mandating preventive and corrective mechanisms in institutions. To ensure effective implementation of the law and to strengthen transparency, the Modi government relaunched the SHe-Box portal on 29 August 2024 with technical enhancements under the framework of digital governance, making it more user-friendly, accessible and transparent for women across sectors.
The portal provides a Central Repository of information relating to Internal Committees (ICs) and Local Committees (LCs) constituted across the country. This repository enables systematic monitoring of compliance under the POSH Act and ensures that organisations fulfil their statutory obligation of setting up Internal Committees. By centralising data and enabling digital documentation, the portal strengthens institutional oversight and improves coordination between authorities at different levels.
The upgraded version of the SHe-Box portal enables women to directly file complaints with the concerned Internal Committee or Local Committee without the need to physically approach offices at the initial stage. This significantly reduces delays in the complaint process and minimises unnecessary human intervention that may discourage complainants. Complainants can also track the status of their complaints online in real time, thereby enhancing transparency and trust in the system. One of its most significant features is that it is equally accessible to women working in all sectors — government or private, organised or unorganised. Whether employed in a large corporate office, a small enterprise, a contractual arrangement or as part of the informal workforce, women can access the same digital grievance redressal mechanism. This clearly demonstrates that the government’s policy on women’s safety is inclusive and not limited to any particular class, profession or geographical location.
In alignment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Digital India’ vision, SHe-Box provides women with a secure, simple and confidential mechanism to file complaints and monitor their progress. The digital interface has been designed to be intuitive and easy to navigate, ensuring that even those with limited technical familiarity can use it effectively. Complaints registered on the portal are directly forwarded to the Internal Committee of the concerned workplace or to the Local Committee of the respective district, depending on the nature of employment. To ensure confidentiality, it has been arranged that no person other than the Chairperson of the Internal Committee can view the details of the complaint, thereby safeguarding the identity and privacy of the aggrieved woman. This feature addresses one of the major concerns often faced by complainants — fear of exposure or retaliation.
Under the POSH Act, it is the responsibility of the government to maintain and monitor data related to complaints and their disposal. The Act prescribes a time limit of 90 days for inquiry into any complaint, ensuring that justice is neither delayed nor denied. The SHe-Box portal plays a crucial role in ensuring compliance with this statutory timeline. To guarantee time-bound disposal, the Ministry regularly sends dashboard alerts, automated emails and reminder messages to the concerned authorities. These reminders encourage prompt action and reduce the possibility of undue delay. Such a proactive system reflects an approach of accountability and results-based governance, where institutional mechanisms are supported by digital monitoring tools.
The role of nodal officers is also extremely significant in enhancing the effectiveness of SHe-Box. Nodal officers appointed at each workplace establish coordination among the employer, the Internal or Local Committee and the complainant. They facilitate communication, ensure that procedures are followed correctly and help resolve procedural bottlenecks. This mechanism ensures that complaints are not merely registered on paper but are acted upon in a timely and rule-bound manner. By creating defined responsibilities within institutions, the system reinforces seriousness in handling sensitive matters related to workplace dignity.
Beyond legal compliance, the SHe-Box portal also contributes to a broader culture of awareness and preventive action. Organisations are encouraged to conduct regular training sessions, sensitisation workshops and awareness campaigns regarding workplace behaviour and rights under the POSH Act. The existence of a digital grievance redressal system serves as a reminder to employers and employees alike that harassment will not be tolerated and that there are accessible mechanisms to address grievances. This fosters a more respectful and equitable work culture.
When viewed in the broader context of women-centric policies, the significance of SHe-Box becomes even more evident. More than 10 crore women across the country are today associated with Self-Help Groups, contributing to community development and economic resilience. Through initiatives such as ‘Lakhpati Didi’, lakhs of women are becoming economically self-reliant and are entering new income-generating activities. Innovative schemes like ‘Namo Drone Didi’ are connecting women with modern technology, agricultural services and entrepreneurship, thereby providing them opportunities to enter emerging and formal sectors of employment. As women expand their presence in diverse economic spaces, ensuring their safety and dignity at workplaces becomes a foundational requirement for sustained progress.
At a time when a large number of women are becoming part of organised and formal workplaces for the first time, platforms like SHe-Box assure them that the government stands with them — not only by enacting laws but by implementing them effectively and responsibly on the ground. The portal bridges the gap between legislative intent and practical enforcement. It reassures women that their voices will be heard and their concerns addressed within a structured legal framework.
Through multilingual support, real-time tracking, digital documentation and a transparent process, the SHe-Box portal does not confine workplace safety for women to a mere legal provision. Instead, it transforms it into a structured, reliable and accountable institutional framework supported by technology and administrative commitment. It strengthens confidence among working women and signals a broader commitment to gender-sensitive governance.
SHe-Box truly reflects a visionary approach in which ‘Nari Shakti’ is freed from fear and provided with the opportunity to move forward in workplaces with dignity and confidence. By combining legal safeguards, digital innovation and institutional accountability, it enables women to contribute fully and fearlessly to nation-building. In doing so, it strengthens the foundation for a developed, inclusive and equitable India by 2047.
(The author is Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Government of India.)
