WOMEN AT WORK: LEGAL PROTECTION AGAINST HARASSMENT AND DISCRIMINATION

Workplace safety, equality, and dignity are becoming crucial elements of labour rights and human rights due to the growing number of women in the workforce. Women's equitable participation in the workforce is nevertheless hampered by workplace harassment and gender discrimination, despite constitutional rights and progressive laws. The legislative structure in India that protects women from harassment and discrimination at work is critically examined in this study paper. The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, labour laws, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and pertinent international agreements, like as CEDAW and ILO Conventions, are also examined. Significant implementation issues like underreporting, victimization, institutional bias, and insufficient protection for gig and informal workers are also assessed by the study. A comparison of the legal systems in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada reveals global best practices and points out areas where India needs to improve. The report recommends that gender-sensitive workplace rules, enhanced corporate responsibility, greater institutional accountability, and successful implementation are essential for creating safe, inclusive, and equal workplaces. Strengthening these mechanisms would promote substantive gender equality while also preserving the constitutional values of justice, dignity, and non-discrimination.