Staff Reporter
Newly-posted Punjab Ombudsperson Ms Nabeela Khan has taken the civil society on board to make the institution strong and discussed possibility of reactivating the provincial implementation watch committee (PIWC).
While talking to civil society members at Punjab Ombudsperson office, she underscored that the step would be taken to make the province free from harassment of women and ensure their safety and dignity at workplace.
Ms Khan also shared that Anti-Harassment Committees have already been set up in most of the departments for effective implementation of the measures to curb women harassment at workplace.
The members of these committees would be trained with the help and support from the civil society so they could do their work in an effective manner.
The Punjab Ombudsperson also shared with the visiting group that for the protection of women living in far-flung areas, an online complaint system has been introduced where the victims could lodge complaints and get speedy justice.
She said a level playing field would be provided to women by ensuring a 30 percent employment share for them in every department. “It’s our collective duty to curb the scourge of women harassment at workplace.
We all must play our role for the success of existing initiatives taken in this regard and continue to strive for introducing even better measures for it,” Nabeela Khan emphasised.
She said the Woman Ombudsperson is committed to keep working with the civil society for developing and implementing long-term legislative initiatives for gender equality and women’s empowerment so “we can create an environment where girls and women can be free from all forms of violence.”
She added that all the offices have already been directed to constitute inquiry committees to deal with harassment cases and display the code of conduct for the protection of women on their premises.
On the occasion, the civil society members offered their cooperation to the Woman Ombudsperson and expressed the confidence that the Office of Ombudsperson would ensure strict implementation of the laws against women harassment at workplace.
The civil society members who attended the meeting included Bushra Khaliq Executive Director WISE, Shahzad Khan of Chanan Development Association, Executive Director IRW Muhammad Waseem, Nabila Malick from UN Women, Qazi Ehsanullah of Idara Taleem-e-Agahi, Aila Gill of NCJP, Shahnawaz Khan of SPO and representatives of Shirkat Gah and Digital Rights Foundation.
