Indian Women in the Workplace: Panel Highlights Global Challenges of Workplace Safety and Gender Inequality

On November 17, 2024, an online discussion through an international panel took place to explore the challenges faced by Indian women in workplaces with a global lens on the issue. The event was organised by Pratiti, a community of Indian students at the University of Edinburgh, in the purview of the recent RG Kar rape-murder-atrocity in India, which has ignited widespread outrage and sparked significant dialogue over workplace safety and equity. On August 9, 2024, the city of Kolkata in India, witnessed a gruesome crime. A 31-year-old woman trainee doctor was brutally raped and murdered during duty hours on her night shift within the premises of the bustling RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. This horrific crime not only shook the public to the core but also raised several concerns around the safety and security of working women across society.

The panel involved working women across the globe working in different spheres of livelihood. The panellists were Dr. Moumita Chatterjee, a doctor and medical educator based in India; Dr. Suvalagna Chatterjee, a consultant gynaecologist with NHS in the UK; Dr. Anindita Brahma, an academic fellow at The Rockefeller University; Smriti Singh, a journalist-turned-researcher at Oxford Brookes University; and Advocate Sreshta Rao, a human rights lawyer based in Edinburgh. The discussion broadly elaborated on the existing systemic barriers, socio-cultural norms, and legal frameworks shaping women’s experiences in workplaces around the world.

The RG Kar Atrocity and Tilottama Movement: A Catalyst for Discussion

The RG Kar case played a focal role in the conversation with the panellists examining its resonance across various work sectors. Dr. Moumita Chatterjee opened the discussion by describing the nature of workplace harassment in medical institutions in India. She shared her anecdotes of facing inappropriate treatment at different stages of her career, ranging from comments on her attire to threats of gherao in a rural medical facility by local goons. She pointed out systemic failures such as poor implementation of the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) Act 2013, lack of confidentiality in internal complaint committees (ICCs) and the culture of victim blaming.

The RG Kar case highlighted the normalised culture of impunity within medical colleges in India fuelled by political forces of the ruling party that enable harassment and exploitation. Dr. Chatterjee also mentioned that many junior doctors, including trainees and interns, face psychological abuse accompanied by institutional corruption, such as extortion and favouritism in promotions. “The environment creates a vicious cycle where accountability is absent, leaving victims without recourse,” she added.

Workplace Harassment, A Universal Issue – emerging insights from the discussion

Taking the conversation to a global context, Dr. Suvalagna Chatterjee presented a comparison of her experience as a gynaecologist in India and the UK. She mentioned that while the UK offers better clinical governance, gender biases do persist here as well. “What differs is the accountability structure. In the UK, systems are more robust in addressing complaints. However, biases and microaggressions still affect women’s professional growth, suggesting the prevalence of a universal glass ceiling for working women, marred with a culture of repression,” she said.

Dr. Anindita Brahma placed her perspective as a woman of colour in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and Medicine) academia, discussing the subtle forms of discrimination that undermine women’s confidence. “Women, particularly women of colour, have to constantly prove their worth in ways that men don’t,” she added. Researcher Smriti Singh talked about her tumultuous journey in journalism; she mentioned how power disparities frequently subject women to exploitation due to pervasive sexism in Indian media. She clarified, “Women who speak up are branded as ‘troublemakers,’ and harassment in newsrooms is frequently ignored.”

Advocate Sreshta Rao presented a legal perspective on the issue: “We have robust laws on paper, but institutional inertia and societal attitudes often render them ineffective,” she stated. Rao mentioned that the disparity between legislation and reality is not limited to India. Globally, numerous organisations either fail to implement measures or consider them as bureaucratic formalities. She proposed that India may learn from the UK’s 2010 Equality Act, which mandates establishments to take proactive measures to prevent harassment.

A common notion that echoed throughout the panel was that while the extent and forms of harassment vary across countries, the underlying challenges of gender inequality are universal. Even with advanced safety measures in developed countries, women, especially those of marginalised ethnicity, face systemic discriminations which act as impediment in their professional and personal lives.

A Call for Action

Statistics show from 2018 to 2022, India recorded more than 400 incidences of sexual harassment at work per year (ref. Business Standard report). Trades Union Congress (TUC) in the UK revealed approximately 52% of women and 68% of people from the LGBTQIA+ community have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace. The implication is evident that gendered harassment is used as a tool in the attempt to discipline towards uncritical surrender to the gender-dominant dispensation.

The panel suggested some important recommendations to improve these issues. Organisations must set up accountable, transparent, and well-trained ICCs. Education and awareness programs can be critical to dismantling gender stereotypes. Policies must account for inclusivity concerning race, caste and socioeconomic status. Collective action and solidarity among employees can challenge skewed power dynamics and drive systemic reform.

While it is true that change cannot happen overnight, it is also true that change begins with dialogue. Conversations like this, especially across different spheres of work, can help institutions and communities address denominators that enable patriarchal practices. These discussions also provide a platform to encourage efforts to improve secure working conditions globally for women. The insights gathered at this event highlight the urgent need for reforms led by subjective conditions of different working communities and provide a framework for creating more equitable workplaces.