Combating harassment: Celebrating the working woman

Govt recently introduced online facility for victims of workplace harassment.

The Pakistani working woman’s accomplishments and obstacles to growth in the workplace were elaborated upon in a statement issued on the eve of National Working Women Day on Saturday.

National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) Chairperson Khawar Mumtaz acknowledged working women’s struggle to secure a respectful working environment, pointing out that lack of awareness about Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act 2010 is the biggest hurdle in its effective implementation.

She said the day was celebrated to acknowledge economic contributions made by women to their country in increasingly diverse occupations.

In a statement, Mumtaz said the promulgation of Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2010 is in itself is a manifestation of the government’s resolve to address the concerns and issues of working women.

Mumtaz noted that ensuring a harassment and discrimination free workplace for women was a landmark move, lending them a sense of security. Moreover, the government has recently introduced an online facility for victims of harassment at the workplace through the Federal Ombudsman Secretariat.

She said most private and public sector organisations were not implementing the law and only fulfilling the mandatory requirement to display copies of the code of conduct in English. “The organisations may be fined up to Rs100,000 if an employee lodges a complaint of harassment.”



The participation of women in the formal sector is still low. Some 80 to 85 per cent women work in the informal sector as labourers and agricultural workers, and are often not accounted for. The NCSW chief stressed the need for acknowledging the rights of home-based workers, in order to introduce policies and laws for them.

The country now has a legal obligation to comply with international laws and is monitored by the International Labour Organisation’s Committee on Application of Standards, she added.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 22^nd, 2013.