Zubair Qureshi
The National University of Modern Languages (NUML) NUML organized a seminar titled ‘Protection against Harassment.”
Federal Ombudsperson against Harassment FauziaViqar was the Chief Guest at the event.
The seminar was attended by more than 100 students and faculty members.
In her address to the audience FauziaViqar talked about the ongoing 16 Days of Activism Campaign being run by the Federal Ombudsperson Secretariat for Protection against Harassment (FOSPAH) which is aimed at eliminating gender-based violence against women and girls.
She stated that gender sensitive institutions like FOSPAH are essential to ensure that victims of harassment receive timely justice at no cost and stressed that the Government of Pakistan has a zero tolerance policy for harassment at the workplace. In her presentation MsMeherJamy, Law Officer at FOSPAH explained the provisions of the Protection against Harassment of Women atthe Workplace Act, 2010 (2010 Act).
She told the audience that after the recent amendments to the 2010 Acts students can file complaints of harassment and are covered within the definition of employee. Further, that harassment now encompasses not only acts of a sexual nature but also gender-based discrimination which is based on a pre-conceived prejudicial mindset against one gender.
The seminar ended with a question & answer session where students primarily inquired about the protections available to women and men residing in under-developed areas such as Kashmir, Balochistan and GilgitBaltistan and the measures FOSPAH has in place for handling sensitive complaints of harassment.
Ms. Viqar apprised the audience that FOSPAH is competent to hear complaints from Federal and Trans-Provincial organization situated anywhere in Pakistan and has sensitized staff who provide a reassuring and compassionate environment to victims of harassment.
