AASHA

AASHA means “hope” – a hope to root out harassment especially of women from the society. It aims to raise awareness on the issue and assist the government and private sectors to create a society free of sexual harassment. AASHA's first initiative is directed towards taking active measures to mobilize and influence policy makers for providing protection to women at the work place and ensuring a safe and healthy working environment. Sexual harassment is a fact of life that not only ... negates the fundamental rights of women, but also restricts them from taking an active and effective part in society according to the fullest of their potential and capabilities. This results in social, psychological and economic suffering of half of the country's population and has negative implications for social and economic growth at the national level. There are many reasons for the growing incidences of sexual harassment at workplaces, the most important one being that victims are often reluctant to make formal or informal complaints for fear of losing their jobs. Other reasons are the low economic status of women, their social structure, which makes men feel that they have power over women, and the general attitude of men who take this as normal behavior and think that women should feel complimented by their advances. Working women also experience sexual and physical violence, which includes rape and other forms of sexual assault, beating, kicking, slapping, etc. at the hands of their employers. The enormity of this issue called for a joint campaign by organizations and individuals that could work as catalysts in bringing attitudinal change at all levels in addition to influencing laws and policies. In view of this, a group of like-minded organizations was formed called Alliance Against Sexual Harassment (AASHA).More