Provincial governments need to formulate policy rules for the implementation of women-friendly laws introduced in the country, participants of a consultative meeting said on Monday.
The meeting was organised by the Sindh Women Development Department and chaired by provincial Women Development Minister Tauqir Fatima Bhutto. It was attended by female members of the Sindh Assembly and women rights activists.
They sought concrete measures for public sensitisation about a series of laws introduced in the country for the protection of the marginalised sections of the society.
“Propagation of laws is necessary so that women and other concerned sections must know about the modes of their protection,” the minister said. “Rules may also act as source of deterrence for perpetrators of the crime.”
On the occasion, the participants discussed in detail different private bills pending before the Sindh Assembly since 2008.
The deliberation revealed that five of these bills including Prevention of Gender Discrimination Bill 2008, Domestic Violence against Women and Children Prevention and Protection Bill 2008, Gender Harassment at Workplace Bill 2008, Women Protection against Sexual Harassment at Workplace Bill 2008 and Anti-Domestic Violence Bill 2008 had been fully or partially adopted by the parliament.
“There is an urgent need to ensure implementation of these laws in letter and spirit at every public and private sector organisation,” the minister said.
Female MPAs including Nusrat Sehar Abbasi of the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional, Humaira Alwani of the Pakistan People’s Party and Zarine Majeed of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement inquired about the measures adopted for implementation of the women protection against sexual harassment at workplace bill from the government officials present at the meeting.
They took exception to claim made by the officials that complaint committees have been formed in 18 of the provincial government departments, each including a chairperson of BPS 19 grade and other two members of BPS 18 and 17.
“I am amazed as to why no such committee has so far received any complaint although personally we come across hundreds of women complainants including workers associated with different government departments,” said Nusrat Sehar Abbasi.
When informed that the complainant can directly approach the committee and need not to forward her grievances through her immediate supervisor, the MPA said these aspects must be duly highlighted.
Tauqir Fatima Bhutto informed the participants of the meeting that the Sindh Women Development Department has translated the code of conduct, an integral part of the law, into Urdu and Sindhi.
“This has not only been distributed among all government departments and institutions including the Sindh Assembly but also put on display at the prominent site of every office,” she said.
The minister agreed that similar measures are required for public awareness about the laws introduced for their benefit, with specific reference to women and children.
She said the Women Development Department has launched a public awareness campaign against domestic violence that will last from November 25 to December 10.
Bhutto said that the female members of the Sindh Assembly would immediately focus on the on the Standardisation of Age of Marriage Bill, Recognition and Protection of Home-Based Workers Bill and Prevention of Women Trafficking Bill.
A representative of the Sindh Law Department assured the participants that draft laws forwarded by the female members of the assembly, with prior approval of chief minister, would be taken up for vetting by his department on urgent basis.
