Training to make workplaces safer for workingwomen held

Islamabad
Representatives from private sector organisations attended a three-day training to learn how to make their workplaces safer for workingwomen.
The training was about effective implementation of 'Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act 2010'. Special emphasis was given to the sensitisation of management and employees on the issue of sexual harassment and how to curb it so that employees can focus on their work and improve their performance, which ultimately affects the productivity and profitability of organisations.
More than 30 participants, including management and mid-management of Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), Islamabad Stock Exchange (ISE), Fauji Fertilizer Company Rahim Yar Khan, Meezan Bank, Pakistan Manpower Institute, Reporters of South Asian Broadcasting Agency, Lawyers, Teachers and Principals of three colleges in Islamabad and Rawat attended a three-day training organised by Mehergarh at their residential training facility.
According to the law, all organisations have to form a three-member Standing Inquiry Committee with at least one woman member to handle cases of sexual harassment so that both men and women can earn ‘halal’ living in a respectful manner. According to the law, it is the responsibility of the managements to display the text of the law in their offices for easy access to information and also educate all their employees about the issue, the act and the importance of reporting cases so that they may be handled in a confidential manner.
Mehergarh has facilitated more than 3,600 cases in the last five years which shows that a lot of women are not afraid of being stigmatised by reporting a case of sexual harassment, they would rather speak out and continue to work without being harassed, which is a very positive sign. It is important for people to speak out and not accept abuse or sexual harassment and the people around them need to create the safe space and be supportive to help them in this emotionally difficult process of going through these cases. People are speaking out because working in a dignified environment is important to them.
Director at Mehergarh Maliha Husain, who was facilitating this training, requested all the participants to not only ensure proper compliance in their own organisations, but work on raising the awareness in their families and communities so that people start talking about this issue as a first step towards its resolution. At the end of the training most of the participants shared that now they feel confident enough to talk about the issue with their families, including their daughters so that they know how to protect themselves.
The concluding ceremony was the highlight of the training as wife of Senate Chairperson Raza Rabbani was the chief guest and gave out the certificates to all the participants, who shared their experience of the training with her. Dr. FouziaSaeed was there to give out a signed copy of her book, 'Working with Sharks' to each participant.