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  • Know Your Rights

    • September 23, 2026
    Know Your Rights: Creating Awareness, Preventing Sexual Harassment, Promoting Respect.

    Yeldo Mar Baselios College organised an awareness session titled "Know Your Rights: Creating Awareness, Preventing Sexual Harassment, Promoting Respect" on 23 September 2026 at 2:00 p.m. at the Tagore Theatre. The programme was conducted by the College's Anti-Sexual Harassment Cell in association with the Readers' and Speakers' Forum, with the objective of creating awareness about sexual harassment, legal rights, reporting procedures, and the collective responsibility of building a safe and respectful campus. The session featured Adv. Teena Cherian, LL.M., Founder of the Jenika Foundation, and an experienced legal advocate working for the rights of women, children, and survivors of abuse. Through her insightful presentation, she explained the different forms of sexual harassment that may occur in workplaces and educational institutions. She emphasised that harassment may be physical, verbal, non-verbal, psychological, or digital, and that any unwelcome behaviour of a sexual nature must be taken seriously. Drawing upon real-life examples, Adv. Teena Cherian helped the students understand how harassment can affect an individual's dignity, emotional well-being, education, career, and personal safety. Her practical illustrations enabled the participants to recognise inappropriate conduct and understand the importance of responding promptly rather than remaining silent. She also highlighted the need to respect personal boundaries and to create an environment in which individuals feel confident to speak up without fear, shame, or social pressure. A significant part of the session focused on the Prevention of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013, commonly known as the POSH Act. The speaker explained the role and constitution of the Internal Committee in institutions and workplaces. She also introduced the Local Committee, which serves as an important avenue for complaints in situations where an Internal Committee is unavailable or where the complaint involves the employer or head of the establishment. The session clarified that complaints should be handled with sensitivity, confidentiality, fairness, and due process. The participants were also informed about the legal consequences of sexual harassment under the applicable criminal law. The speaker explained that, following the introduction of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, relevant provisions must be understood with reference to the law currently in force, rather than relying solely on earlier references to the Indian Penal Code. For example, Section 75 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita addresses sexual harassment and prescribes punishment for specified acts. Adv. Cherian further discussed Section 14 of the POSH Act, which deals with malicious complaints, complaints knowingly made with false allegations, and the deliberate production of forged or misleading documents. She clarified that merely being unable to prove a complaint does not automatically make it false; action under this provision applies when the complaint is established to be malicious or knowingly false. The students were also introduced to the concept of a Zero FIR, which allows a person to report a cognisable offence at any police station, irrespective of territorial jurisdiction, after which the complaint may be transferred to the appropriate police station. The programme concluded with an interactive discussion and doubt-clearing session. Students actively participated by asking questions related to reporting mechanisms, confidentiality, institutional responsibilities, legal remedies, and support available to survivors. The interaction made the session accessible, practical, and relevant to the students' everyday experiences. The awareness programme benefited the students by strengthening their understanding of their legal and institutional rights. It equipped them to identify harassment, seek timely assistance, preserve relevant information, approach the appropriate authorities, and support others with empathy and responsibility. Most importantly, the session encouraged students to reject silence and normalisation of inappropriate behaviour. It reaffirmed that safety, dignity, equality, and mutual respect are essential values of a healthy educational community.



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