Women protection against harassment Ombudsman’s role laudable: President Arif Alvi

Islamabad: President Dr Arif Alvi Friday appreciated the role of Federal Ombudsman Secretariat for Protection against Harassment for providing speedy and low-cost justice to the people and called for strengthening the institution further to enhance its effectiveness.

In a meeting with Federal Ombudsman for Protection against Harassment Kashmala Tariq, who called on him at Aiwan-e-Sadr, the president emphasized awareness campaigns through print and digital media to sensitize the people on the ombudsman’s role for quick resolution of complaints, a President House press release said.

The ombudsman briefed the president about the institutions role in creating harassment-free working environment which had disposed of 93% of the registered cases. She said that the ombudsman had created awareness by holding seminars and press conferences that had led to increase in the registration of cases.

She said that women represented over 50 percent of Pakistan’s population and they needed to be provided safe working environment. The Federal Ombudsman Secretariat for Protection against Harassment is an autonomous quasi-judicial statutory body working for the protection against harassment at workplace.

It aims at creating harassment-free working environment. Recently, the Government of Pakistan has empowered FOSPAH, under Enforcement of Women’s Property Rights Act, 2020 , allowing it to decide cases related to inheritance of women.