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Ensuring a safe and dignified workplace is a key component of gender equality and inclusive growth. In this context, Indian Railways launched the SHINE (Sexual Harassment Incident Notification for Empowerment) App on 8 March 2026 (International Women’s Day) to provide a secure and confidential mechanism for reporting workplace sexual harassment. The initiative represents a step towards strengthening institutional mechanisms for women’s safety and promoting a gender-sensitive work environment in one of the world’s largest public sector employers.

About the SHINE App

The SHINE App is a digital complaint platform developed for women employees of Indian Railways to report incidents of sexual harassment at the workplace. It functions as a module integrated into the Human Resources Management System (HRMS) used by railway staff.

Through the Employee Self Service (ESS) portal, women employees can lodge complaints online without having to approach administrative offices physically. Once registered, the complaint is automatically forwarded to the designated authority responsible for handling such cases, ensuring faster and more transparent redressal.

Key Features of the SHINE Platform

• Confidential Complaint Mechanism
  • Enables women employees to file complaints securely.
  • Protects the identity of complainants and ensures privacy in the complaint process.
• Integration with HRMS: The module is embedded in the Human Resources Management System, enabling seamless digital reporting and monitoring of complaints.
• Direct Access to Internal Complaints Committees (ICC): Complaints are directly received by the designated Internal Complaints Committee, which is responsible for investigating cases of workplace harassment.
• Expanded Coverage: Complaints can also be filed on behalf of contractual workers, students, trainees, and visitors present on railway premises, thereby extending protection beyond permanent employees.
• Faster and Transparent Resolution: Digital processing enables quicker communication between complainants and authorities and allows monitoring of the complaint status.

Legal and Institutional Framework

The SHINE initiative operates within India’s broader legal framework addressing workplace harassment:

• Vishaka Guidelines (1997): Issued by the Supreme Court in Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan, which laid down procedures for preventing and addressing workplace sexual harassment.
• Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013: Provides statutory protection and mandates the creation of Internal Complaints Committees in organizations with more than 10 employees.

The SHINE app complements these provisions by digitizing the complaint mechanism and improving accessibility.