Work environment: DISCOs adopt rules to protect female workers

Programme strives to provide women with basic necessities at workplace and ensures protection of their basic rights.

ISLAMABAD:

In a milestone accomplishment, six government-owned power distribution companies (DISCOs) have adopted the ‘Protection Against Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Act 2010’ as part of a program with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to improve the performance of these companies.

The USAID ‘Power Distribution Program’ has been working with all nine DISCOs to provide a better working environment for its female staff. The programme strives to provide women with basic necessities at the workplace and ensures the protection of their basic rights, says a statement issued by the agency here.

Women hardly make up 1% of the workforce at DISCOs, and are mostly confined to clerical and desk jobs. After USAID’s interventions, women are now aware of career paths in the energy sector and the retention ratio of these employees have greatly increased as more women are now seeking a career in the power distribution business.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 4^th, 2013.

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