ISLAMABAD: Federal Ombudsman of Pakistan Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi has said that the Constitution of Pakistan upholds the principle of equality and dignity along with the express prohibition of discrimination based on gender in all spheres of national life.
He said this while inaugurating the “Webinar on Protection against Harassment of Women in the Workplace” organized under the auspices of the Asian Ombudsman Association (AOA), a press release issued on Thursday said.
Apart from human rights practitioners and activists, members of AOA, OIC Ombudsmen Association (OICOA) and Forum of Pakistan Ombudsman (FPO) also participated in the webinar.
He said Parliament passed the Workplace Harassment Protection Act in 2010 to implement the relevant provisions in the Constitution and ensure equal opportunities for men and women and the right to live without fear and any discrimination. .
Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi, who is also the current chairman of the 47-strong Association of Ombudsmen in Asia, further said that the enactment of the relevant anti-harassment law in 2010 was followed by two more Acts of Parliament in 2020 and 2022 which expand the scope. its statutory provision to include men, women and transgenders. Enforcement of women’s property rights was also included in the purview of these legislative provisions, he added. He said the objective of the webinar is to share Pakistan’s experiences, best practices and information exchange to promote gender equality and the right to decent work for all.
Later, Ms. Fauzia Viqar, Federal Ombudsman for Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace (FOSPAH) also gave a presentation on the scope of work and operational framework of FOSPAH which was established in 2011. She said that FOSPAH plays a vital role in upholding the constitutional provision of equality and dignity along with striving to create an environment free of harassment and discrimination. She further added that Pakistan has the advantage of being the only country with a dedicated ombudsman institution to deal with the issue of women’s empowerment and denial of their rights, highlighting the need for support for more than 49 percent of the population. The presentation was followed by a lively question and answer session where international participants asked Pakistani questions about Pakistan’s experiences in these areas and asked to share best practices to move forward.
Organized against the backdrop of International Women’s Day, the webinar was of particular importance to Member States as they strive to overcome the same challenges, particularly in terms of women’s empowerment and protection. So far, Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat has received almost 75 confirmations to participate in the online webinar. Nominations received from AOA members included the People’s Republic of China, Thailand, Japan, Azerbaijan, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Korea, Turkey and Indonesia, in addition to provincial ombudsmen in Pakistan and representatives from regional Wafaqi Mohtasib offices.
