The press statement highlighted that incidents of workplace harassment do not just affect women and their families — they also have an impact on communities. The aim of both KP ombudsperson and UN Women is to work towards effective implementation of legislation by "strengthening existing mechanisms, raising awareness, producing knowledge products and enhancing the capacity of Ombudsperson Office" so that incidents of workplace harassment can be eliminated.

“Our emphasis is on the execution and smooth implementation of the Workplace Harassment Law to make sure that the environment is safe for women to reach their full potential and contribute to the economy,” said KP Ombudsperson Rukhshanda Naz during the virtual launch of the toolkit.

The existing law against workplace harassment in Pakistan provides protection against:

• improper conduct by an employer, that is directed at, and offensive to employee or makes the employee feels to be working in a hostile environment

• any objectionable act, comment or display that demeans, belittles or causes personal humiliation or embarrassment and any act of intimidation or threat

It also binds organisations to constitute a three-member inquiry committee to probe any allegations of harassment — that includes any unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favours or other verbal or written communication or physical conduct of a sexual nature or sexually demeaning attitudes, causing interference with work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive work — within 30 days of the complaint. At least one member of the committee should be a woman.

In case a member of staff is found guilty of harassment, they can be penalised with

• censure

• withholding, for a specific period, promotion or increment

• stoppage, for a specific period, at an efficiency bar in the time-scale, otherwise than for unfitness to cross such bar

• recovery of the compensation payable to the complainant from pay or any other source of the accused

Major penalties can include demotion, compulsory retirement, removal or dismissal from service and moentary fine.

Published in Dawn on 27 June 2020