The News International December 23, 2004
Laws needed to eradicate sexual harassment By our correspondent KARACHI: The question of eradicating the menace of sexual harassment from workplaces is not a hard nut to crack but the absence of laws on the issue is a major factor of recurrence of such incidents. The question is on and off taken up by human rights activists, but other groups working for the welfare and betterment of communities and groups do not take into account the problems of working women, especially those working in factories and other such places. Now some of organisations have started holding such discussions and functions, questioning the weaknesses in laws and formulation of a code of ethics to this effect. The Alliance Against Sexual Harassment (AASHA) in collaboration with the Workers Employers Bilateral Council of Pakistan (WEBCOP) has showed serious commitment to raise this issue, and perhaps this is for the first time that the two organisations gave awards (at a grand ceremony) to those establishments and organisations that have been successfully implementing the code of conduct for gender justice at workplaces. Speakers in the ceremony noted that more efforts were needed to eradicate the menace of sexual harassment from workplaces to set a path for building a vibrant and progressive society with extensive participation of our womenfolk. Organisations that received the awards were: Regal Textile Industries, Clariant, TCS (Pvt) Ltd., APLA Laboratories (Pvt) Ltd, Phoenix Armour (Pvt) Ltd., National Bank of Pakistan, Hinopak Motors Ltd, Otsuka Pakistan Ltd, Pakistan Security Printing Corporation (Pvt) Ltd, Merck Sharp & Dohme Pakistan Ltd, and All Pakistan Trade Union Federation. Nasreen Azhar, Country Director, ActionAid Pakistan, thanked and appreciated those organisations that worked on the cause and those industries that received the awards. Leading artists such as Sameena Pirzada, Sajora Kazmi, Sanya Saeed, Haseena Moeen, Deepak Parwani, Maria Wasti, Arshad Mehmood and Sajid Hasan also showed their support for the promotion of gender equality at workplaces through their presence at the ceremony, while Javed Niazi Group performed on the occasion. Human rights activists and feminists turned up in a large number at the ceremony. The artists presented special shields to representatives of companies to recognise their initiatives for adopting the code of gender equality at workplaces. Gender discrimination is deep rooted in Pakistani society and sexual harassment at workplaces is often regarded as one of its elemental manifestations. Women are usually intimidated through one way or the other at workplaces by co-workers and employers. The code of conduct promising gender equity and elimination of sexual harassment at workplaces was evolved with the consultation of the government by the AASHA. In Pakistan so far 265 companies have implemented the code successfully in their offices and formed special committees to investigate cases of sexual harassment. Highlighting the objective of holding the ceremony, Aqsa Khan of ActionAid said that the awards were not only meant for the recognition of the organisations that had adopted the code but also a way to encourage other companies to espouse it. She hoped that other companies would also opt for the implementation of the code in their respective offices. "The ceremony symbolises an envious achievement of women rights organisations that relentlessly campaigned for the introduction and implementation of the code at workplaces," said Dr Fauzia Saeed, Coordinator Mehr Garh, a member of AASHA. However, she added: "It is only one milestone that we have crossed in our long and arduous journey towards achieving due status, full security and all basic rights for women." She held that human rights activists should accelerate theirefforts of demanding and ensuring equal rights for women. Ahsanullah Khan, Convener WEBCOP, said that sexual harassment was an impediment for women in their efforts to join national workforce. "We have to make hectic efforts to streamline the most productive workforce to put the country on its way to progress and prosperity", he said. The AASHA works towards encouraging gender equality in organisations and eliminating sexual harassment from workplaces. Its member organisations include: ActionAid, Bedari, Islamabad Women's Welfare Agency, Working Women Association, Working Women Organisation, Conscience Promoters, Working Women Support Centre, PILER, Interactive Resource Centre, Hawwa Associates and Mehr Garh. _________________________________ Labour Notes South Asia (LNSA): An informal archive and mailing list for trade unionists and labour activists based in or working on South asia. LNSA Mailing List: Labour Notes South Asia To subscribe send a blank message to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> LNSA Web site: groups.yahoo.com/group/lnsa/ Run by The South Asia Citizens Web www.sacw.net _________________________________ ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> $4.98 domain names from Yahoo!. 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