Awareness drive launched in schools against harassment

Islamabad: The Federal Ombudsperson Secretariat for Protection against Harassment (FOSPAH) has launched a nationwide initiative aimed at informing students of their rights and empowering them to understand harassment and its prevention.

The ground-breaking campaign began with an awareness session at the Government Girls High School in Sohan in collaboration with Islamic Relief Pakistan. The session engaged over 70 female students from grades 9 and 10 in a critical dialogue about their rights to respect, education and work, along with the protections guaranteed by the Pakistani law.

The students were taught how to recognize harassment in its various forms whether in schools, homes, or public spaces ensuring that they not only know their legal rights but can also identify and prevent inappropriate behaviour before it escalates. FOSPAH’s Law Officer Meher Jamy said, “This campaign is not just about legal knowledge. It’s about prevention. Too many young people experience harassment and don’t even realize that what’s happening to them is wrong. We must equip them with the tools to understand what harassment looks like and how to stand up against it.” She said FOSPAH’s initiative is a direct response to the growing need for comprehensive education on both the rights of children and the behaviour that violates those rights, as ignorance of what constitutes harassment leaves young people vulnerable to exploitation.