Kerala: AICCWW (CITU) Hails Hema Panel Report, Seeks Time-Bound Implementation

New Delhi: The All-India Coordination Committee of Working Women of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) has welcomed the Justice Hema Committee report on sexual harassment in the Kerala film industry, which has led to a spate of resignations of some top film personalities from government bodies.

In a press statement, AICCWW also congratulated the survivor actor who came out to fight and the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) that has played a “stellar role in highlighting the shocking discrimination and sexual harassment faced by women working in the Kerala film industry.”

It hoped that the Kerala government would ensure time-bound implementation of the report in the state and also demanded that similar committees be set up in the Hindi and other language film and television industries to ensure gender justice at workplace.

“It will be appropriate to set up a fast-track court to deal with these cases as well as to give confidence to the victims who are still silent,” the statement read.

Read the full statement below:

AICCWW (CITU) Welcomes Justice Hema Committee Report

Demands

Ø  Time Bound Implementation of its Recommendations by Kerala LDF government

Ø  Immediate Setting up of similar committees with specific time frame for Bollywood and all other language film industries

Ø  Central government must bring a Model Code of Conduct for the film and television industry to end sexual violence and gender discrimination

Ø  Speedy functioning of Fast track courts to ensure fast trial and justice in cases of sexual violence and rape; Increase budget allocation for FTSCs

The All India Coordination of Working Women (CITU), the women’s sub-committee of Centre of Indian Trade Unions(CITU) welcomes the release of the Hema Committee Report, and the assurances given by the LDF Government of Kerala to implement many of its recommendations in order to improve the working conditions, particularly of women in the Kerala film industry.

 We congratulate the survivor actress who came out to fight and the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) that has played a stellar role in highlighting the shocking discrimination and sexual harassment faced by women working in the Kerala film industry.

 The Committee made commendable efforts to prepare a comprehensive report recording depositions of more than 50 men and women including senior actors as well as junior artists and technicians. The Committee endured several challenges to complete the report as the victims were greatly afraid about the breach of their confidentiality.  As a result it took two years to prepare the report. The release of it was further delayed by several privacy related issues and interventions by statutory bodies and judiciary.

 Apart from shocking revelations of demands for sexual favours, intimidating and predatory sexual advances and attacks that women at all levels in the film industry face at the very inception of their working careers, the Committee has pointed to rampant gender discrimination in remuneration, technical opportunities, lack of basic on-site facilities such as toilets and changing rooms, grievance redressal mechanisms, illegal age limits on work participation, and lack of contracts and regulation of working conditions.

 The Committee has pointed to the existence of a ghastly reactionary near-feudal power structure under the tight control of a few men within the industry that results in a totally illegal and unauthorized “ban” on those who dare to raise their voices against the injustice faced by them. It has recommended the drafting of a separate specific law to regulate the industry, and set up a Tribunal, a special Welfare Fund, ensure written contracts, equal remuneration and a gender balance in decision making bodies. In a wider context, it has called for a comprehensive Film Workers’ Policy and support for women produced cinema and gender justice in cinema content.

 In a welcome move, the LDF government decided to call a conclave and invite women across the spectrum within the industry and various stakeholders to discuss comprehensive suggestions to address all kinds of discriminations and the way forward. We also welcome the LDF government’s decision to set up an investigation team of Police to look into various casesincluding POCSO cases coming out after the publication of the report and to help the survivors. It will be appropriate the to set up a fast track court to deal with these cases as well as to give confidence to the victims who are still silent.

 Sexual exploitation of women, discrimination and unfair practices exist not just in Kerala, but are reportedly widespread in film production centres across the country. We may recall that many actresses in Bollywood have earlier revealed about the sexual assaults they faced in the name of ‘casting couch’. In Telugu film Industry, a film artist stripped herself and demonstrated in Hyderabad in protest against this harassment. We demand the concerned state governments take immediate action on these complaints and frame holistic policy to address the issues.

We stand in solidarity with women in cinema and support their struggles to dismantle patriarchal power structures, build gender-just workplaces with fair labour practices, and end the culture of silence in face of fear and oppression.

Issued by

A R Sindhu

Convenor, AICCWW(CITU)

Secretary CITU.