Zero-Tolerance Campus Is a Campus of Care: Dr. Meenakshi Gopinath
KD NEWS SERVICE
SRINAGAR, Aug 21: The Government College for Women (GCW), M.A. Road, Srinagar, in collaboration with Women in Security, Conflict Management and Peace (WISCOMP), New Delhi, hosted a two-day workshop aimed at strengthening Internal Committees to ensure zero tolerance against sexual harassment on campuses and workplaces.
The workshop, which concluded on Thursday, brought together educators, administrators, and gender champions to deliberate on strategies for prevention, support, and redressal of harassment cases.
The workshop, titled “Strengthening the Internal Committees for Zero Tolerance Campus,” was conducted under the leadership of WISCOMP Director, Dr. Meenakshi Gopinath, a renowned academic and peacebuilder. She, along with her team, held intensive training sessions combining lectures, case study-based exercises, interactive discussions, and audio-visual presentations.
Dr. Meenakshi underlined that a zero-tolerance campus must go beyond rules and committees—it should embody equity, solidarity, and compassion. “It’s a campus of care. It is a campus of compassion. It is a campus of solidarity. It is a campus that prevents any kind of violence—not just sexual harassment, but all forms of exclusion, whether of race, culture, ethnicity, religion, or gender,” she emphasized. Referring to instances of gender discrimination, she urged participants to move beyond victimhood: “Let’s not only think of women as victims. We’re not victims. Let us move out of this victimhood group, discover agency, and once we start on that path, it’s never-ending.”
The WISCOMP team included Dr. Latika Vashist, Ms. Shilpi Shabdita, and Ms. Akashleena Chakrabarti. Dr. Vashist, an Associate Professor at the School of Law, Governance and Citizenship, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University Delhi, conducted a round-table session on the legal framework of the POSH Act and UGC regulations on harassment. She elaborated on the complexities of workplace harassment, providing participants with a deeper understanding of grievance redressal mechanisms under the law.
The inaugural ceremony was graced by Vice Chancellor, Cluster University Srinagar, Prof. Mohammad Mobin, as Chief Guest. In his remarks, he lauded the initiative for its relevance in today’s academic and professional spaces, urging institutions to prioritize inclusivity and safety. The inaugural proceedings were conducted by Dr. Asiya Nazir.
Dean Academic Affairs, Cluster University Srinagar, Prof. Nazir Ahmad Simnani, who was the guest of honour at the valedictory session, and senior academician Prof. Parveen Pandit both stressed the need to conduct such workshops on a regular basis. They appreciated the organisers for equipping faculty and students with tools to make educational spaces inclusive and productive.
Principal of GCW, Prof. Yasmeen Farooq, stressed the importance of building a safe and supportive ecosystem. She expressed confidence that the deliberations would help frame effective strategies for prevention, support, and redressal of grievances, adding that the college would organise follow-up programmes to ensure the exercise yields tangible results.
From the host college, the event was coordinated by Prof. Majida Maqbool, Presiding Officer of the Internal Committee. She delivered a presentation on Gender Audit and shared her experience of conducting a similar exercise at GDC Sumbal. The valedictory session, compered by Dr. Suhail Ahmad, also saw the distribution of certificates among participants and gender champions who discussed ways of addressing harassment complaints in line with the Internal Committees’ mandate under the POSH Act.
The workshop not only reinforced the role of Internal Committees in grievance redressal but also redefined the concept of a campus—one that fosters solidarity, compassion, and equality for all its members.
Key Takeaways from WISCOMP Workshop
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Zero-Tolerance Campus: Not just about preventing sexual harassment, but creating a campus of care, compassion, solidarity, and equity.
Beyond Victimhood: “We’re not victims. Let’s discover agency and move beyond victimhood,” urged Dr. Meenakshi.
Inclusive Culture: Zero tolerance must extend to all forms of exclusion—race, culture, ethnicity, religion, and gender.
Legal Awareness: Dr. Latika Vashist explained the POSH Act and UGC regulations, stressing the need for awareness of rights and grievance redressal mechanisms.
Practical Exercises: Participants engaged in group discussions, case studies, and gender audits to understand real-world applications.
Follow-up Programmes: GCW M.A. Road announced plans to hold future sessions to ensure the workshop becomes a result-oriented exercise.
Collective Responsibility: A safe, inclusive, and supportive ecosystem must be a shared responsibility of faculty, students, and administrators.
