About Sahas

Strengthening Women’s Safety at Work, Inspiring Confidence for Success

SAHAS, which, when translated into most Indian languages, means “Courage,” is a program that aims to strengthen the ecosystem of support for women who face workplace sexual harassment. While there is a general consensus that there is a need to provide courage, guidance, and assistance to women in dealing with such issues at the workplace, this is the first time in the country that a State Police entity is launching a statewide intervention specifically targeted at addressing this gap.

The SAHAS initiative is proudly sponsored and actively supported by Ixoreal Biomed, the manufacturer of “KSM-66 Ashwagandha”, which is the bestselling ashwagandha extract in the world.

Why SAHAS

The latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) report states that our state, Telangana, has one of the highest populations of working women in India. The NFHS data released in 2022 by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) provides the following insights regarding Telangana:

A significant majority of employed women, approximately 93 percent, are engaged in non-agricultural sectors. According to the NFHS data, around 38.6 percent of women are part of the workforce in Telangana.
57 percent of women in rural Telangana engage in employment-related activities during a portion of their day, while the corresponding figure in urban areas of the state is 30.5 percent.
With a population of around 2 crore women, the total count of working women is estimated to be approximately 80 lakhs. Out of this, 25 lakhs are located in urban areas and are actively involved in formal or informal employment on a daily basis.
Telangana also has one of the highest percentages of individuals (aged 15-59 years) involved in the System of National Accounts (SNA) Production, with 63.6 percent. Among them, men constitute 70.5 percent, while women make up 54.4 percent, as per the report by the Union Ministry.
Approximately 88 percent of women employed in industries and 71 percent in services work in the informal sector, as stated by the International Labour Organization in 2018.

While ensuring safety during commuting and in public spaces is undoubtedly important, our SHE Teams intervention addresses this concern. However, it is widely acknowledged that workplace sexual harassment, like many other crimes against women, is significantly underreported. There is also a general consensus that even when incidents are reported, organizations may lack the necessary resources and may not handle the matter in a fair, trustworthy, and transparent manner, as mandated by the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act).

Therefore, our new initiative, SAHAS, aims to fulfill the need for creating safe work environments for women in Telangana.

Highlights of SAHAS

SAHAS, which translates to “Courage” in most Indian languages, is a program that aims to strengthen the support system for women facing workplace sexual harassment. While there is a general consensus about the need to provide courage, guidance, and assistance to women in dealing with such issues, this initiative marks the first time a State Police entity in the country is launching a statewide intervention to address this gap.

The key highlights of SAHAS include:

First of its kind initiative in the country by a State Police entity

Jointly implemented with active support of most major Industry bodies

NGOs to provide Trauma Counseling for the affected

Qualified and Experienced Lawyers to provide legal inputs

Police to provide continuous handholding and support

Multi Channel Support that includes website self help information, online forms, Chat (Bot & Live Agent), and Telephone

Multi Tiered Governance Structure with Industry Bodies and Experts in Steering Committee

Awareness and Training for organizations and IC members

How we aim to achieve our mission

Collaborations with Industry Bodies: Actively collaborating to implement robust safety measures and promote best practices.
Awareness Programs: Educating organizations, employees, and communities about the importance of women's safety and the collective responsibility to create a harassment-free environment.
Online Forum: Providing a safe and supportive platform for women to connect, share experiences, seek advice, and engage in discussions related to workplace safety.
Expert Connect: Facilitating access to experts and professionals in the field of women's safety, enabling women to seek guidance and expert opinions.

We invite you to become a part of Sahas and contribute to the mission of creating safer workspaces for women. By joining Sahas, you actively participate in building a culture that values equality, respect, and dignity. Together, we can create a future where women thrive professionally, unhindered by safety concerns. Join us on this transformative journey and be a catalyst for change.

At Sahas, we believe that every woman deserves a workplace where she can pursue her dreams without fear. Together, let’s make women’s safety a priority and shape a better future for all.