Women’s rights: ‘Strictly implement harassment law’

Three-member committee to submit implementation report.

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Home and Tribal Affairs department on Friday directed deputy commissioners (DCs) to strictly implement the Protection against Harassment of Women Act 2010 in their respective areas.

Directions were issued after the federal ombudsman took notice of the increasing number of cases filed by women working in private and public sectors. The provincial home department was told to take immediate steps to provide women with a peaceful and friendly working environment.

A statement issued from the department said all complaints should be addressed in accordance with the law so that justice is served promptly and retaliation against complaints is curbed.

According to the department’s spokesperson, Qamar Ali, all 25 DCs were told to constitute a three-member committee with at least one female member. The committee will submit an implementation report to the department within 15 days.



Ali said the deputy commissioners were also asked to display copies of the code of conduct in English and other local languages at public and private offices. This, he added, will help raise awareness on provisions of law and will also encourage a professional work environment for men and women.

In March 2010, President Asif Ali Zardari signed the bill into law which defines harassment as “any unwelcome sexual favours or other verbal or written communication or physical conduct of a sexual nature or sexually demeaning attitudes, causing interference with work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, or the attempt to punish the complainant for refusal to comply to such a request or is made a condition for employment”.

If found guilty of harassment, a person can be imprisoned for up to three years or be fined up to Rs500, 000 or both.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 13^th, 2013.