Federal Ombudsperson for Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace, Fauzia Viqar, Wednesday, addressing a seminar at International Islamic University Islamabad said that equality of citizens, respect and protection of rights of individuals is a pre-requisite for a stable and prosper society.
The seminar was organized by Office of Students’ Advisor (male) of the International Islamic University, Islamabad (IIUI) in collaboration with the Federal Ombudsperson Secretariat for Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace (FOSPAH) on the topic of women’s property rights and protection against harassment at workplace.
In her discussion in the seminar , Fauzia Viqar said equal opportunities for women to contribute in social and economic fabric are necessary. “ These are high times when contribution of working women must be increased to stabilize the country economy” she added.
She mentioned that a large number of the females face harassment either sexual or workplace that needs to be addressed on the immediate basis. Calling upon the educated females she said that it is their responsibility to explore about their property rights and raise voice on their prerogatives that are legitimate and defined.
She observed that to ensure the implementation of laws related to harassment, it is important that the affected people should raise their voices against this nuisance. She advised that people who are around the victim and have proper information related to harassment matters should also raise their voices to prevent such incidents.
Federal Ombudsperson for Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace also discussed the gender based harassment as well as she defined and elaborated the procedures to counter such harassment through relevant channels. In the question answer session she also spoke about the privacy of the complainant and role of FOSPAH in establishing a public perception and requisite information about the women’s property rights. She also lauded IIUI for appointing first female Rector in its history adding that this was a positive gesture and an omen of positive role of educational institutions in providing equal platform to women to excel in society.
Speaking on the occasion, Vice President, Research & Enterprise, IIUI, Prof. Dr. Ahmed Shuja Syed, Prof. thanked Ms. Fauzia Viqar for an insightful and awareness based discussion on the vital issue of women’s property rights. He said this awareness seminar is a great opportunity to sensitize youth to play their role in curbing the harassment and protection of the property rights of women.
Students Advisor Dr. Ghufran Ali Khan said that the educational institutions play a vital role to build a civilized society and such activities and awareness based efforts at the higher educational institutions are the need of time to protect the rights of the citizens.
Dr. Zafar Iqbal, Dean Faculty of Social Sciences also spoke on the occasion. He hailed the joint collaboration of the IIUI and FOSPAH suggesting more such activities with greater frequency be continued.
The seminar was also joined by faculty members and a large number of students. The seminar served as a platform for fruitful discussions, shedding light on the significance of establishing safe and respectful work environments for all individuals. Participants engaged in dialogue, exchanging best practices, and exploring strategies to effectively address and prevent workplace harassment, emphasizing the dignity of women.