Must Ensure Zero Tolerance For Inappropriate Behaviour Towards Women, Sexist Language & Unsavoury Jokes : CJI DY Chandrachud

There must be zero tolerance for sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour towards women, inappropriate language targeting women, and even inappropriate jokes at the expense of women, said Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud. Justice Chandrachud was speaking on Wednesday at an event organised by the Gender Sensitisation and Internal Complaints Committee of the Supreme Court for a belated celebration of International Women’s Day (March 8). Also in attendance were the chairperson of the committee, Justice Hima Kohli and other members, including Justice BV Nagarathna. Among other dignitaries, former Supreme Court judge Indira Banerjee was also present in the audience. Delivering the keynote address, Justice Chandrachud, who was invited as the chief guest, highlighted both good and promising developments in the legal profession, such as the increasing number of women in judicial services and transactional law, as well as unpleasant aspects that need to be addressed, including the presence of systemic barriers, and incidents of inappropriate behaviour, sexual and otherwise, targeting women. He also made two important announcements – first, the launch of a glossary of inappropriate gendered terms used in legal discourse, and second, the creation of a large space for women lawyers in the Supreme Court’s annexe building which is about to be renovated. We take a look at the highlights of the chief justice’s address. Zero tolerance for inappropriate behaviour towards women, inappropriate language about women, and even inappropriate jokes Notably, Justice Chandrachud pointed out that one of the problems in the profession was the harassment of women and inappropriate behaviour towards them. The Chief Justice revealed that he had heard ‘ghastly’ stories involving young, women lawyers in the profession, and arising out of the corridors of the top court itself. There must be zero tolerance for sexual harassment and other inappropriate behaviour targeting women, Justice Chandrachud firmly stated. He said: “Even if part of those stories that I was told are believable, and I see no reason not to believe them because I think every one of them has a germ of trust, we need to ensure that there is zero tolerance for inappropriate behaviour towards women, use of inappropriate language in relation to women, and even on cracking inappropriate jokes in the presence of women.” The chief justice recalled, “There were instances when I was a young lawyer, of seniors sitting in a group cracking a ‘joke’ at the expense of a woman lawyer there, which would be extremely unbecoming. No one then had the guts to tell the senior that the language was inappropriate. But we have come a long way now.” He added that people now realise that some forms of behaviour – physical, language-based, action-based, or symbolic – are plainly unacceptable, particularly in the workplace. “We need to emphasise this that these kinds of behaviour are not acceptable. It is also important to send this message to the authorities. Excesses do not begin in the corridors. They continue as you go higher and higher in terms of authority. It is important to recognise that and put an end to it.” ·Number of women in district judiciary and transactional law today holds great promise for tomorrow With respect to gender diversity in the legal profession, Justice Chandrachud offered a hopeful prognosis for the days to come. “You know the time when women in this profession were far and few between, with an odd woman seen struggling across the board,” he began. But now it has completely changed, said the CJI who has almost four decades of combined experience at the bar and on the bench. Pointing to the latest figures, he said that over fifty per cent, and in some states over sixty per cent of judicial officers are women. The chief justice then added, “This holds great promise for the future because these women who are entering into the workspace today are going to define the values, the traditions, and the aspirations for the present and the future.” Other than the district judiciary, Justice Chandrachud also cited the example of the transactional lawyering space. “There is a large number of women entering the transactional lawyering space for the reason that it is a space where merit is truly rewarded - where a woman is employed not because she is a woman or to give her another chance, but in recognition of her talent and the fact that she is as competent as her male counterparts.” The examples that have been set in the district judiciary and in transactional law must now make their way to other parts of the legal profession, “namely seniors’ chambers, the courtroom, and in appointments to the high courts”, the chief justice said.Need to send a message that the top court is an equal opportunity employer and workspace Justice Chandrachud allowed an unusual look into his personal...

Must Ensure Zero Tolerance For Inappropriate Behaviour Towards Women, Sexist Language & Unsavoury Jokes : CJI DY Chandrachud

Awstika Das

Tags