During my time with SVYM this past summer, I was given the opportunity to create IEC material designed to inform employees about workplace sexual harassment policy and India’s Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act of 2013. This material included a trifold brochure, two-sided flyer, and poster. To begin my project, I first needed to understand SVYM’s policy and the Indian legislation covering the matter. Further, in order to create awareness in the best way possible, I gave myself three side objectives. First, my work had to effectively convey information. To achieve this objective, I designed my materials with a logical progression of information, with intentional placement and ordering of details regarding the POSH Act and SVYM’s policy and complaint procedure. Second, my work had to accurately convey information. Therefore, I worked closely with the POSH Act and its exact language to ensure that the information I included was correct and significant. Third, my work had to efficiently convey information. Given the nature of brochures and flyers and their limited space and size, I had to design the materials efficiently and prioritize different details. And, last but not least, I had a personal objective of learning and growing from the experience.
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| Mentors, Ms Lilly (left) and Dr. Rekha, in the HR office at SVYM. |
I worked closely with my mentor Ms. Lilly Verghese and Dr. Rekha throughout the process of developing my IEC materials. We met regularly per week to discuss my progress on the project, and they were very helpful in answering any and all questions I had. We also spoke about a range of other topics, including differences and similarities between Indian and United States legislation and culture, our day to day lives, and our goals for the future. In addition to the classes we were able to attend in the beginning of the program, such as a lecture on Gender Issues in Healthcare, I learned an unbelievable amount. Overall, I am extremely grateful to have gone through this experience. The program proved to be invaluable because of the connections I made, the perspective I gained, and the immense information I learned in the span of a single summer.
