Rising up

Legislation, especially when combined with social change, and support from the state, can have a dramatic impact in changing behaviours and offering protection to groups which in the past lacked it, both because they had no legal basis to take complaints forward and also because they were prevented from doing so by social stigma. The ‘Protection Against Harassment of Women at Workplace Act’ went into place in 2010 and aimed at providing women a safe working environment. In 2012, Sindh became the first province to set up a provincial ombudsman to receive complaints against harassment of women with the former SHC judge appointed the first ombudsman. Since then, the number of cases brought in by women has increased steadily. In 2012, only one case was reported. By 2016, there were 134 registered cases, most of which have been addressed. Of the 292 complaints received since 2012, 251 have been addressed. The law and the actions of the ombudsman which have set up 29 district complaint centres across Sindh appears to have given confidence to women to bring their complaints forward.

Quite obviously, harassment at the workplace existed well before 2012. Women were however disinclined to make any complaint because of social embarrassment, possible pressures from family to quit their jobs and also the threat of dismissal. The fact that this picture seems to be changing, if only by small fractions at a time, is encouraging. The law specifically lays down punishment, which can include censure or dismissal or an unspecified fine for physical harassment, the seeking of sexual favours, verbal or written communication which is perceived by the victim as harassment or a demeaning attitude which interferes with work performance. It is quite obvious from the figures coming in that many women face such treatment. While the number of complaints has grown, it is obvious that many still choose to say nothing and this will only change over time. The complaints have come in from both the private and public sector, many of them related to the education department, where a large number of women are engaged as teachers or in administrative roles. We hope that the actions taken by the ombudsman backed by other efforts to change the societal behaviour will act as a measure which sends out strong signals to all those in the workplace and makes it clear that harassment is simply not an option. At present, many of our public spaces, including those where women work, are not safe for them. Expanding the ambit of the current law would help enable more women to work in a secure environment and also encourage others to take up paid employment, confident that they will not face harassment which goes unpunished and that their confidentiality will be respected at all stages during the complaints process.