ISLAMABAD: The members of National Implementation Watch Committee (NIWC) have shown concern over the lack of compliance reports from the public and private sector on complaints pertaining to sexual harassment at work place.
“We have sent several letters to the Army, judiciary and media houses but no compliance reports were submitted despite several requests. We also asked them to establish committees which would address the complaints filed by women harassed at workplaces,” Dr Fauiza Saeed said while talking to Dawn.com here on Tuesday.
NIWC is a committee formed on the directives of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani to oversee the implementation process of the anti-sexual harassment legislation passed in March 2010.
Dr Fauzia, member of National Commission on Status of Women, was moderating a briefing related to the 6th meeting held here on Tuesday.
“Our efforts are on…we want every department working in the private and government sector to form committees which could probe cases related to sexual harassment at workplace and maintain a safe work environment for all workers,” maintained Dr Fauzia –a social activist and writer of a book titled – Taboo: The Hidden Culture of a Red Light Area.
Although the Committee asked these bodies to keep a tab on how many organisations within their thematic parameter complied and how many did not, it still remains a challenge to get the information flowing back to it in order to monitor and assess the situation. “We only have the information we have because of our intense engagement with our partners and individual organisations,” a statement read.
The NIWC has evolved a web based mechanism where organisations will generate
the information about compliance together and thus, will help each other and
their own employees to get the current information. “This we believe will be an important step towards proper monitoring and accountability of the organisation in view of effective implementation of the legislation and will be a useful tool for women and men at all levels to help use the provisions required to make our society a better and safe
place,” the statement added.
The three demands of NIWC – grievance committee, instruction and announcements related to the sexual harassment bill and training of the staff members of institutions, were followed in letter and spirit by the federal and provincial government however; few institutions have submitted the compliance report.
“There is cold response from the media houses. We did receive compliance from a newspaper and only from three broadcast houses while most chose to ignore us. We have sent letters with the help of Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority to all the media houses,” she maintained.
Dr Fauzia insisted that government institutions like PIA did form the committee for the said matter, adding, “However, the committees are formed in a different manner [supportive to the management].”
Dr Fauzia also briefed the media persons regarding the launch of website [http://www.sexualharassmentwatch.org/]. The database provides a list of private and public institutions that have formed committees to address complaints of women.
Meanwhile, sharing the progress from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Director Social Welfare and Women Development, Mohammad Ayub said that his institution has constituted committees in all departments headed by additional secretaries. “The code of conduct has been printed and displayed within the departments to ensure that everybody is aware of the mechanism in place,” he said.
The report from Women’s Development Department Sindh was more efficient. Their representative Musarrat Jabeen, Deputy Secretary Women Development departments Sindh, while providing an update pointed out that harassment committees have been formed in 10 departments and in four districts.
“The Services General Administration and Coordination department has issued letters to all the departments concern to comply with the law and coordinate with the women development department,” she informed.
Maliha Hussain, social activist, also shared information about a few major cases that AASHA was pursuing. AASHA is an Alliance Against Sexual Harassment comprising different non-governmental bodies. “Politicians and bureaucrats should not disrupt the mechanism that we trying to put in place. They should support our initiatives rather than saving their friends who are accused of harassment,” she said.
Dawn News
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