By Mahtab Bashir
ISLAMABAD: Filled with jubilation and exalted by feeling of having won wages against sexual harassment at workplace, women from all walks of life got together at a colorful event at National Art Gallery (NAG) on Tuesday to celebrate the passage of the landmark anti-harassment legislation.
Alliance Against Sexual Harassment at Workplace (AASHA) organised the event.
Celebrities from all around the country included Sahira Kazmi, Sameena Peerzada, Ayesha Sana and Samina Ahmed.
Parliamentarians and working women from both public and private sector paid tribute to those who were involved in drafting the bill and getting it passed from the parliament.
“The conservative mindset that persists in the country also has its influence in the parliament and created hurdles at many stages,” recalled Advisor to Prime Minister on Social Affairs Shehnaz Wazir Ali. “It was the determination of Dr Fauzia Saeed, founding member of AASHA and the female parliamentarians that made it possible and today we have legislation unprecedented in South Asia,” she added.
Bushra Gohar said the bill was an evidence of the ability and the role women parliamentarians were playing in improving the lives of ordinary women of the country. “The real challenge is to implement the bill in letter and spirit,” she pointed out. National Commission on the Status of Women chairperson said to facilitate, monitor and oversee the implementation process of the Act in the country the commission had constituted a 15-member committee that will ensure the effective implementation of the law for next two years. She said the committee would comprise members from all stakeholders including government departments, civil society, private sector and media.
Prior to these laws, sexual harassment was considered a social evil. Now it is a crime with up to three-year imprisonment and fine up to Rs 500,000. These laws deal with sexual harassment at work place by putting the responsibility on the management. It requires all organisations to adopt the code of conduct and constitute a three-member inquiry committee to deal with cases of sexual harassment professionally. In case the complainant is not satisfied with the result of the committee he/she can appeal to the ombudsperson constituted for this purpose, she added.
Hosted by Sahira Kazmi and Abdur Rauf, the star-studded event started with a performance on famous folk song “Laal Meri.” Women from all walks of life joined the singer on the stage and danced to the tune of drum’s beat while throwing Rose petals on each other. Applying an innovative idea to give audience a taste of harassment women face at workplace, a line of mock harassers welcomed guests at the entrance, which got many by surprise. They passed comments like “nice color,” “Kithay chalay ho sohneo” and sang vulgar songs on spotting any guest. Interestingly, they faced real harsh words from some strong women who thought it was real.
Source: Daily Times
Date:5/12/2010
