Workplace harassment is a growing concern particularly for women in Pakistan, as it affects them in a negative and life-altering way. It is any unwanted behaviour that creates a hostile or intimidating work environment.

Harassment can take many forms, including sexual harassment, bullying, and discrimination. It is important for women in Pakistan to understand their rights and the laws in place to protect them from workplace harassment.

Pakistan’s laws on workplace harassment are governed by the Constitution of Pakistan and the Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act 2010.

Rights for Women in Pakistan Against Harassment

This act defines harassment as any unwelcomed sexual advance, request for sexual favours, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. It also includes any other behaviour that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment. The act applies to all employers and employees, regardless of their gender.

The law requires all employers to take steps to prevent harassment in the workplace and to provide a safe working environment for all employees.

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Women in Pakistan Can Lodge Harassment Complaints

Employers must also take prompt action if they become aware of any harassment and must make sure that employees who make a complaint are not penalized in any way. The act also requires that all employers establish a complaint committee to receive, investigate, and dispose of complaints.

Victims of workplace harassment have the right to complain to their employer or to the complaint committee established by the employer. They can also file a complaint with the relevant government department, such as the Ministry of Women’s Development. The complaint should be made in writing and should include a description of the behaviour that was experienced, the names of any witnesses, and any other relevant information.

If an investigation is launched, the complaint committee will be responsible for conducting the investigation. They must complete the investigation within 90 days and must provide a written report to the victim and the employer. If the investigation finds that the complaint is justified, the employer must take appropriate action to stop the harassment and prevent it from happening again. The employer may also be required to take disciplinary action against the person responsible for the harassment.

It is important for women in Pakistan to be aware of their rights and to understand the process for making a complaint. They should also be aware of the support services available to them, such as counselling and legal assistance. If a woman feels that her rights have been violated, she should not hesitate to make a complaint and seek help if she needs it.

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In addition to the legal protections, there are also steps that women can take to protect themselves from workplace harassment. Women should be aware of the warning signs of harassment, such as unwanted attention or comments, and should take steps to protect themselves if they feel uncomfortable. They should also be aware of the workplace culture and should report any incidents of harassment to their employer.

Women in Pakistan can also take steps to improve their working environment by speaking out against harassment and by supporting other women who have experienced harassment. They can also seek support from organizations that work to prevent workplace harassment and promote women’s rights in the workplace. These organizations can provide women with information, support, and guidance on how to address workplace harassment and how to protect their rights.

Conclusion

In conclusion, workplace harassment is a serious issue for women in Pakistan, and it is important for women to understand their rights and the laws in place to protect them. The Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act 2010 provides women with legal protections against harassment and requires employers to take steps to prevent it from happening.

Women should also take steps to protect themselves and seek support if they experience harassment. By working together, women can create a safer and more inclusive work environment and can help to prevent workplace harassment.

What are your thoughts on this? Share them with us in the comments below.

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Pakistani Drama ‘Bakhtawar’ Ft. Yumna Zaidi Sheds Light Upon Bone-Chilling Harassment Bus Hostesses Face in Pakistan

Little did the viewers of Pakistani drama ‘Meray Humnasheen’ realize that the series highlights one of the most important yet least talked about topics of harassment in educational institutes.

During her convocation ceremony (episode 34), Hiba Bukhari who plays Khajista gives a speech in which she talks about how students who come from villages or small areas into big and reputed institutes are a victim of harassment.

She says:

These medals, this ceremony, this applaud, it is not an appreciation but a slap. A slap on all those sick minds that are affected by territorial discrimination. That stupid mind thinks that children from underdeveloped areas have low IQs and are criminals, and can never be good students.

Respected guests, and dear students, when children like us come to these big institutions from small areas, we are targeted with territorial and educational discrimination. Today, the sound of these claps seems hollow to me. Because before this, it has been made to insult me, defame me, and put cheap blame on me.

I don’t need these medals, but it is my humble request the protection of the specified seats in my area is possible (seats that are reserved for students from such areas are protected) so that well-dressed children of the upper class don’t attack us. I don’t want to raise the curtains and degrade anyone that did what they did with me, but consider it my plea, my appeal, or a request, for God’s sake, clean educational institutes from discrimination so that in the future if any child goes with medals from here, then he or she doesn’t leave with a wounded soul like mine.

Let some star, some light, a lamp of hope light up in our eyes. Don’t snatch it from us.

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Wardah Noor, a student council batch representative from Lahore University of Management Sciences, shared that it is difficult for students to report cases and go through a long process while still being “mentally sound”. Her statement is just one out of hundreds of thousands.

“The issue here is not the lack of harassment committees in institutions but societal structures that make reporting of such incidents difficult,” Noor said. “We do take credit for introducing laws 10 years ago but that alone doesn’t guarantee support to survivors. Bringing evidence, following the entire procedure is strenuous … you have to provide therapy to survivors too.”

“There is a need to educate people so that they know what counts as sexual harassment,” she affirmed while pointing out practices of victim-blaming still pervasive in society.

Advocate and legal consultant Khadija Ali shared that civil law and criminal law exist in Pakistan for sexual harassment with the latter being Section 509 in the Pakistan Penal Code which is applicable in public places and wherever harassment takes place. However, students are mainly unaware or have little to no information about their rights.

Explaining the two laws she said, civil law is the Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, of 2010 which is applicable in organizations. “Under this law, every organization has to have an inquiry committee to register sexual harassment complaints by students or employees,” she explained. “Organisations have to designate competent authority to mull penalties against the accused … moreover, we have ombudspersons in all four provinces where victims can file their complaints.”

Ali said students can now also file complaints under the act and the employee-employer relationship is not a mandatory requirement, however, it’s important to understand that it is civil law. “You can set a precedent for an entire university [by reporting and taking a stand] against harassment.” Says Maliha Husain, the executive director of Mehergarh: A Centre For Learning.

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It is high time to raise our voices against all forms of discrimination, age, gender, territorial, or otherwise.

Have you ever faced discrimination or harassment in your educational institute? Share your thoughts and experience with us in the comments below.

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Harassment Laws in Pakistan

Understanding Workplace Harassment Laws for Women in Pakistan

Rights for Women in Pakistan Against Harassment

Women in Pakistan Can Lodge Harassment Complaints

Conclusion

Here’s How Pakistani Drama ‘Meray Humnasheen’ has Highlighted the Issue of Harassment in Educational Institutes