Kerala State Women's Commission has proposed enactment of Kerala Entertainment Industry Equality and Empowerment Act in response to the suggestion from the High Court. Women's commission has impleaded as an additional respondent related to a writ petition filed by Paichira Navas requesting the HC to direct the government to produce full copy of the Hema committee report. The HC issued an order on September 10 directing the government to hand over uncensored Hema committee report to the Special investigation team.
The proposal regarding the act has been filed as an additional statement by the Women's commission. The case has been scheduled for today.
The legislation is envisaged as a labor-centric framework that addresses key issues such as minimum wages, work hours, rest periods, and essential facilities, including e-toilets, changing rooms, food, accommodation and transportation in addition to sexual harassment issues. It would ensure the registration of all members and stakeholders within the entertainment industry, promoting fair and equitable working conditions for all involved.
The proposed act deals with mandatory agreement for signing in a project, fair remuneration, right to anti-discrimination, gender-neutral specific rights etc. A Tribunal shall be constituted to uphold the rights and duties outlined in this Act. It will also serve as a supervisory body for the Internal Committees that must be mandatorily established under the POSH Act, 2013. Separate guidelines, similar to the UGC (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal of Harassment in Higher Education Institutions) 2015, have also been recommended for the effective functioning of internal committees within the entertainment sector.
According to a statement earlier filed by the Women's commission, it had requested the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala to urgently establish an Internal Complaints Committee, in accordance with the Vishakha Guidelines set by the Supreme Court of India and the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act, 2013. The Commission had also urged the Government in 2022 to implement various recommendations from the Justice Hema Committee, which could significantly improve the welfare of women artists in the film industry, including the enactment of beneficial legislation for cine employees and other workers.