ALIGARH : Prof. Samina Khan, Presiding Officer, Internal Complaints Committee, Aligarh Muslim University, upheld that ensuring women’s safety in higher educational institutions (HEIs) is both a legal obligation and a moral imperative, and the Aligarh Muslim University is fully committed to gender equity and inclusivity in admissions, appointments, and campus facilities.
She was addressing a National Workshop of Gender Sensitization Cells and Internal Complaints Committees of Universities in India, held at the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA), New Delhi.
Prof Khan, who represented AMU at the workshop after being nominated by the AMU Vice Chancellor , elaborated on the policies, infrastructure and provisions designed to create a safe and inclusive academic environment at AMU.
She also highlighted challenges in implementing frameworks such as the UGC (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal of Sexual Harassment of Women Employees and Students in HEIs) Regulations, 2015, and proposed actionable solutions to strengthen institutional mechanisms.
While making an institutional and case study presentation, she reiterated the university’s zero-tolerance policy against any sort of sexual harassment on the university campus.
The workshop saw participation from institutions across India, including Punjab, Kerala, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Pondicherry, and the North-East. The sessions addressed a variety of themes, such as gender mainstreaming, legal empowerment, administrative mechanisms and inclusion of marginalized identities.
Prof Khan later said that this initiative, supported by leading experts and policymakers, was a significant step toward fostering gender-sensitive campuses and enhancing the functioning of GSCs and ICCs across India.