The Committee against Sexual Harassment (CASH) was formed as part of a larger institutional framework for the creation of a safe, equitable and inclusive campus environment. The Committee’s chief mandate includes considering complaints or grievances in relation to sexual harassment offences committed by students, faculty, staff and visitors on campus, and awareness-raising. The evolution of Committee has followed its own guiding ethic, of inclusion, from the very start. The drafting and deliberation process has been highly participative with all primary stakeholders involved at each stage. The result has been the NALSAR Sexual Harassment regulations and policy, which are nearing finalization after due deliberation with faculty and students. The participation of students, in particular, has ensured that the policy reflects the unique concerns and dynamics of a vibrant and diverse student population. The Committee is open to all persons of all positions and genders. It is also linked to the counselling cell and restorative justice wing so that any person facing any difficulty has a range of interventions, support systems and mechanisms apart from a formal complaints process to choose from.
We understand that awareness and sensitization are crucial to preventing sexual harassment. The Committee conducts sensitization aimed at facilitating respectful interaction between people and empowering people to speak out about any experience of harassment or any barriers that they face in college. The present Committee consists of 7 members and is headed by Dr. Manisha Sethi. It is assisted by a support group of faculty and student volunteers all of whom have undergone training for responding to people in distress and supporting them through any formal action or procedure with CASH or any external authority. It is hoped that with the institution of CASH, all persons in NALSAR will have a safe space to turn to in light of any difficulty and that the campus environment will be conducive to the growth and flourishing of all. In case of any grievances,