Behind Kerala's promised women's policy: the workplace committee the POSH Act already requires

Background

Kerala's Labour and Women and Child Development Minister has said a new women's policy will be framed and that complaint cells in institutions will be monitored; this note explains the committee that law already requires.
Under the POSH Act 2013, an internal complaints committee must function in every establishment with ten or more employees.
The committee is the forum to which a complaint of sexual harassment at the workplace is made, so where it does not function the statutory remedy is not available even though the law applies.
At the state level seminar on the POSH Act 2013 and women's mental health held by the Kerala Women's Commission, the Minister said these committees function only in name in many establishments and that departmental monitoring and strict inspections would follow.