Implementation of anti-harassment law stressed

Rawalpindi : Association of Business Professional and Agricultural Women (ABP&AW) organised an awareness lecture on ‘Sexual harassment of women at workplace’ for its members here on Saturday at Rawalpindi Gymkhana Club. The chief guest on the occasion was Mrs Raza Rabbani.

ABP&AW organised this lecture to celebrate International Women Day and to make its members aware of the big social issue that is plaguing our society for long. The experts were of the view that victims do not say a word against the perpetrators who can easily get away after committing the crime and making life miserable for the vulnerable sections of the society. They said that understanding the problem is the first step in resolving the issue.

President ABP&AW (IR Branch) Tahmeena Malik while speaking on the occasion said that ABP&AW has been working for women empowerment since 1954 since it was established by Rana Liaquat Ali Khan.

Executive Director Sach Khalida Saleemi said that there is already a law for this issue but it should be implemented too. We need to understand that it’s a patriarchal culture of our society where power dynamics rule the system. The irony is, if a woman raises a voice against a criminal, the other woman never supports her.

Educationist Jehanara Mueen said that a person can only start abusing when he feels insecure. Parents give much confidence to their children to identify and stop the harassment issues. The girls should be confident enough to stop the abuse then and there. Dr. Rakhshanda Parveen Research and Gender Expert said that we should understand that the absence of evidence is not the absence of violence. Executive Director Meher=-garh Maleeha Hussain said that sexual harassment is actually a mental torture by the attitudes of the abuser.

Sadia Hussain Child Rights Expert said that through decency we have to reclaim our already shrinking space for women. The chief guest Mrs Raza Rabbani while speaking on the occasion said that Parliament has passed two laws on sexual harassment in consultation with all the stakeholders but some organisations are implementing it and some are avoiding it.