The Equilibrio Gazette
A brief buletin for building safe workspaces!
This weekly newsletter is your gateway to staying current on relevant laws (like POSH, POCSO, Transgender Persons Act, etc.) and the psychosocial intersections that impact the workplace.
23rd October 2026 | Issue No. 156
Upcoming Events
Mark your calendars! In this section, we highlight an upcoming event you won't want to miss.
Being an Internal Committee (IC) member is more than a statutory responsibility; it requires the knowledge and confidence to handle sensitive complaints, assess evidence, conduct fair inquiries, and uphold due process and confidentiality. The POSH Certification Workshop equips IC members with practical insights into their roles and responsibilities under the POSH Act, 2013, helping them strengthen their inquiry skills, navigate complex situations, and grow professionally.
Growing Together: A Workshop for Understanding and Nurturing Neurodivergent Children
Created for parents, teachers, and caregivers, this workshop offers insights into neurodivergence, including ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and dyscalculia. Explore ways to understand children’s individual needs, challenge misconceptions, and use practical, affirming strategies that support their strengths, build confidence, and encourage autonomy at home and in school.
In the Spotlight!
Explore ways to build your knowledge and capacity with our team of in-house experts!
Our public spaces often privilege men, while women are expected to have a purpose or reason to be outdoors. Inspired by the book Why Loiter, this #FeministFridays explores how reclaiming public spaces challenges patriarchal norms and affirms our right to exist freely, without justification.
Are you able to loiter in your public spaces?
We’re hiring a Junior E-Learning Developer at Equilibrio Advisory LLP!
If you enjoy combining creativity, technology, and visual storytelling to create engaging digital learning experiences, we’d love to hear from you.
Experience: 1–2 years
Apply: Email your resume and a brief introduction to careers@equilibrioadvisory.org with the subject line “Junior E-Learning Developer”
Child safety is a shared responsibility, and concern alone is not enough. Our self-paced POCSO E-Modules help parents, teachers, counsellors, school staff, and organisations recognise signs of abuse, understand legal responsibilities, and respond appropriately. Build your safeguarding knowledge and take a step towards creating safer environments for children.
Stay Current!
~ Spotlighting Landmark Judgments since passing of the Law!
I - LEGAL UPDATES
The Madras High Court set aside Chandran’s POCSO conviction and death sentence, acquitting him after finding cumulative evidentiary and procedural deficiencies. Concerns included inconsistencies in the prosecution evidence, discrepancies about the alleged occurrence date, deficiencies in identification and child-witness assessment, insufficient medical corroboration, and ineffective legal representation. The Court emphasised that a death reference requires independent scrutiny and that grave allegations cannot replace proof beyond reasonable doubt. It also declined to order recovery of compensation paid to the children.
The Madras High Court rejected an election petition challenging Rajendran R.’s election from Salem North. The petitioner alleged children were used in campaigning and that a party leader’s appeal to children to influence family voting amounted to undue influence under Section 123(2) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. The Court held that breach of the Election Commission’s circular did not independently satisfy Section 100(1)(d)(iv), and the pleaded facts did not disclose statutory undue influence warranting invalidation of the election.
In a follow-up order in the menstrual-hygiene case, the Supreme Court reiterated that menstrual health forms part of the fundamental right to life under Article 21. Criticising States and Union Territories for failing to report implementation measures, it directed the Union to obtain written responses on steps taken pursuant to its 1 September 2026 judgment. The Court warned that continued non-response could prompt contempt notices to the concerned Chief Secretaries and listed the matter for 14 December 2026.
II - Exploring Intersections
RJ Mitte’s advocacy highlighted the need for disability inclusion and representation. His passing reminds us that resilience can mask exhaustion, and distress has no single expression. We must address systemic barriers to psychological safety and build genuinely inclusive support systems where disabled people feel valued beyond their disability.
Engage with us!
Here's your weekly food for thought through a Fun Fact or Quiz.
Did you know that in rural Kenya, a village named Umoja serves as a powerful sanctuary for survivors of gender-based violence? Founded in 1990 by 14 women escaping forced marriage and intimate partner abuse, Umoja, meaning unity, stands as a testament to collective resilience. These women built their own sustainable settlement from the ground up, maintaining constant vigil to protect one another from those seeking to find and harm them.
Beyond physical safety, Umoja fosters systemic change by funding local schools and teaching children the values of self-worth and mutual respect. While boys live there until age 18, the village remains a radical space of female autonomy. Through their craft jewelry and tourism, these women have secured economic independence and global visibility, which acts as a shield for their continued survival. This community demonstrates how healing is not merely individual, but a structural act of building inclusive, sustainable communities.
Have a burning question about POSH? Maybe Mental Health at Work, Child safety or DEI&B strategies? Drop us an email with your query and we would love to answer it, in all seriousness.
Curious Cat:
Why is “just go to bed earlier” often ineffective advice for those living with ADHD?
Answer:
For many ADHD-ers, the struggle isn’t about willpower but biology. Research shows that ADHD is consistently linked to a “delayed sleep phase,” meaning your internal circadian clock is naturally shifted later. When your biological sleep window is misaligned with early morning school or work schedules, you inevitably accrue sleep debt. This exhaustion worsens ADHD symptoms, creating a cycle where fatigue triggers brain fog, followed by an evening dopamine boost that further delays sleep. Rather than blaming individual discipline, we must recognize this as a systemic misalignment.
Studies suggest that therapeutic interventions, such as timed melatonin and bright light therapy, can help shift these clocks earlier. By treating the circadian rhythm as a biological target rather than a character flaw, we can better support the health and daily functioning of neurodivergent individuals.
Here’s all the tools you need to build safe and equitable workspaces!
Drop us a Hey, to get started!
