Waiting for Implementation

“I am working and living in men dominating country where they canon and power in their hands,” Naheed Mirza said.I am still facing problem while the bill of “Protection against Harassment at Workplace Bill 2009” passed by the National Assembly will help ensure safe working environment for women working in different fields. President Asif Ali Zardari signed the harassment bill in a ceremony, making it a law.

According to the bill whosever makes any sound or gesture, utters any word, exhibits any object or demands sexual favour from women at workplace would face the punishment.

The objective of the bill is to create a safe working environment for women, free of harassment, abuse and intimidation with a view to fulfill their right to work with dignity and honour.

The bill was part of a comprehensive bill originally moved by former information minister Sherry Rehman when she got the serious appeal and applications from Saadia Sehar Haidari working lady in Government media organization .She took serious action over all those application against harassment at workplace.

Samina Anwar working woman she told that I am very upset in this male-chauvinist milieu .Many times I thought to quit my job but I have to shoulder of my family members at the cost of lynx eyed male colleagues in the office.

 Nazia her colleague of her shared the same view and said that women at their workplaces required better environment without compromising their dignity. We always face annoying to unenduring and indecent postures during work.

 Sehar, a workingwoman said that she changed her profession due to taunting and uncomfortable attitude of her male colleagues and boss.

Along with this Bill, the prompt legislation over Bill against Domestic Violence will also ensure far more secure places for womenfolk’s whether they are at homes or at their workplaces.

Fariha Rahman, reporter in local newspaper said that protection against armament at workplace bill 2009 was passed but there is not implementation over it. She explained that if we have any problem and complain against male-chauvinist milieu then where we should go for complaint. There is no special place, complaint office and council for ladies to submit their requests even though in our office there is no such a department for complaint. Government did not take action of implementation of this protection bill yet. In this case mostly women keep silent because they have no surety to cling with their jobs after the complaint .Action plan of implementation of this harassment bill to protect the women in workplace still pending, it should be done,’ she added.

First case of harassment raise from Radio Pakistan after passed the that lady was transferred after her voice that is not substitute of this circumstance. After a long time came an effective bar in the shape of Protection against Harassment at Workplace Bill 2009 after a prompt and effective legislation to ensure a better environment to women at their specific workplace.

Humaira sharif working lady said that there is no roadmap and infrastructure assembles about the Protection against Harassment at Workplace Bill 2009.She said that there is no job security for ladies if they stand for their right. All large organizations run by male and they exploit female rights at working place. Some time organization sacked the lady who raises harassment issue against her male colleagues. She said “Its implementation may take some time because women are shy of raising their voices against unwanted things.”

The legislation is expected to break the jinx associated with the concept of ‘go Scot free’ for the eves teasers often emboldened in the absence of effective legislation.

It is laden with exemplary punishment for male colleagues having fiendish intentions will surely result in triumph of meek voices vying for their protection for a long time. The associated Amended Criminal Bill will amend both Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and Criminal Procedure Code (Cr PC), enhancing punishment for the crime to three years in prison and a fine of up to Rs.500,000. It also proposes penalties including demotion, compulsory retirement and dismissal from services. The inclusion of new clause 509-A clearly says “Whoever makes sexual advances or demands sexual favour or uses written or verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature which intends to annoy, intimidate or threaten the other person or commits such acts at the premises of work place, or makes submission to such conduct shall be punished for three years.”

 According to available details, the code of conduct and procedure had also been included in the bill which provides behavioral guidelines for all employees, including management of the organization for ensuring a working environment free of harassment. “Harassment is one of the most common issues faced by the women of Pakistan. They face intimidation in the marketplace, in buses, at bus stops and at workplace,” the Bill says.

The legal experts and rights activists of the Federal Capital are of the view that prior to it, there are no specific laws dealing with workplace harassment. They say till the introduction of the Bill, women had no legal recourse to justice against their colleagues, supervisors or employers who while taking undue advantage of familiarity tried to intimidate the weaker segments of society with immunity.

It is generally observed that women all over the world and in our own country are subjected to varying degrees of discrimination, exploitation and violence. Harassment at workplace is a very serious issue as it has been related to the right of women to live with honor. To protect women against harassment at workplace, the government had taken special measures by starting formulation of the bill which would be an effective piece of legislation.

Mrs Sanam Advocate, a well known face in the city courts, commented that she also stresses for creation of more awareness about female rights besides, swift implementation by involving all stakeholders.

Hafsa Saeeda , a social and rights activist of a non-governmental organization, replies that females are generally deprived of their rights and an effective legal mechanism leading to punishment is expected with this development. The legislation emphasizes the need to change traditional view on women at workplace and also to be conscious about cultural, social and religious norms and values in our daily life to avoid this type of problem,” she added.

Chairman Pakistan Human Rights Society, opined that various provisions of Constitution of Pakistan guaranteed protection to women rights including Articles 24, 34 and 37.He said quick legislation and sound litigation would yield desired results. While a section of experts cautioned against misuse of legislation especially in rural areas where it could be used to settle old scores.

“By harassment I mean making unwanted advances of a sexual, aggressive or intimidating nature that seeks to undermine or diminish the female’s value in the work place,” Kashmala Tariq MNA of  PML(Q) explained The Protection against Harassment at Workplaces Bill 2009”, to create a safe working environment for the women free of harassment, abuse and intimidation with a view to fulfill their right to work with dignity.

Her face was burn by Acid

There was dire need for an exclusive act to tackle the growing issue after the ratio of working women had been kept on increasing. This protection bill only accumulate for those women who are working out side from their homes what about the protection for those ladies who are harassed,abused, killing in the name of honor and intimidation by their family male members.