KARACHI: Speaking at a seminar organised to sensitise the public to harassment of women at the workplace, Superintendent of Police Shahla Qureshi lamented the lack of male participation in the audience, which was necessary, she said, in the battle to eliminate this menace.

“I see a lot of female university students present here. However, male students are conspicuously missing. I believe if we are trying to eliminate harassment, men, especially from the younger generation, must also be part of the conversation and the discussion.”

She also recalled her own journey to work for the police and how she had difficulty convincing the people around her regarding her choice. “The participation of women in police throughout the country is 1.4 per cent.”

As for eliminating harassment, SP Qureshi was of the opinion that the seminar was a starting point and the battle needed to be fought by everyone, regardless of gender, in their own personal spaces.

Official outlines how such complaints can be lodged

The seminar held on Wednesday was organised by the office of Ombudsman , Protection against harassment of women at the workplace, Sindh, where different speakers shared their perspective and experiences of facing and battling sexual harassment.

Harassment, according to The Protection against Harassment of Woman at the Workplace Act 2010, means any “unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favours or other verbal or written communication or physical conduct of a sexual nature or sexually demeaning attitudes”.

According to the act, any form of harassment in any part of the country is a crime and “extends to the whole of Pakistan”.

M. Arif Khan, director of Ombudsman, Protection against harassment of women at the workplace, Sindh, said the seminar was a means to challenge the stigma attached to reporting on harassment by women who were forced to remain silent despite being victimised.

He also outlined the way in which complaints could be lodged. Complaints, he explained, could be submitted online on the website, and could be couriered or physically submitted. This will be followed by an investigation and under the code of civil procedure, the ombudsman will then expedite the decision, which is equivalent to a decision made by the high court and is legally binding on both parties.

Prof Dr Khalida Ghaus was of the opinion that harassment by a majority of the population was considered to be akin to violence which was an erroneous concept. She said: “We are failing society by not empowering them with the ability to differentiate between harassment and violence”.

According to the law, it includes intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, or the attempt to punish the complainant for refusal to comply with a request that may be sexual in nature, or is made a condition for employment.

She also criticised the discrepancies in the narratives coming out of the country. “At one end we have such laws enacted to protect women, and then we also hear about the views of the Council of Islamic Ideology, which though is non-binding, is still given importance. These simultaneously, inherently contradictory developments and messages create confusion in society.”

Mehnaz Rehman, representing the Aurat Foundation, also spoke at the event and explained how it was important to empower women in the country by protecting them.

Journalist Mazhar Abbas said progress had been made in the field of media in Pakistan with women reporters working in the field and reporting on a variety of issues, criminal and social. However, he said, there was still a lot of ground to cover to end all forms of harassment against women in the workplace.

Actor Sarwat Gillani said that though sexual harassment is “a criminal act, yet these crimes are taking place every day and no one takes a stand. The objective is to create a safe working environment for women free from harassment, abuse and intimidation and to facilitate their right to work with dignity.”

She spoke about how harassment took a toll on the woman’s psyche, but a necessary support system was of the family. “Support from families is very important, and can make or break the whole fight against harassment.”

Female students from different universities were also present at the seminar, where a musical event was also held.

Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2018