Stressing the need to raise awareness about gender-based violence (GBV), the speakers at a seminar on Tuesday said that the high prevalence of physical and sexual violence against women by intimate male partners had devastating consequences for the victims, as well as the entire society. The seminar, organised by the Devolution Trust for Community (DTCE), was titled “‘Protection Against Harrassment of Women at Workplace Act 2010”. The speakers included DTCE legal expert Justice (retired) Amjad Ali, Mehrgarh Executive Director Fauzia Saeed, who was also the chief guest at the occasion and Gender Equity Programme chief Seemi Kamal.
Justice Amjad Ali said, “In recent months, the National Assembly has passed a bill on sexual harassment for the protection of women in societal and administrative spheres. However, the society has witnessed a substantial increase in crimes against women and their harassment at workplaces.’ He said further that the Hudood Ordinance, owing to administrative ordeals in the implementation mechanism, failed to materialise its true benefits in the society. Otherwise, there were no flaws and defects in the spirit of law. It is pertinent to mention that Justice Amjad Ali was the author of the Hudood Ordinance in the General Zia-ul-Haq’s era.
Fauzia Saeed said that there was a need to provide social protection to women, in addition to legal protection. The imperative to revolutionise the societal mind set regarding the conduct of a woman in society was the prime need to emancipate the women from the gender-based violence. She said that the managements of variuos organisations should facilitate the environment for the awareness of women rights regarding their protection against sexual harassment at work place and the display code of conduct in their offices for the empowerment of women.
Azhar Bashir, from DTCE, said that violence against women was a persistent and universal problem, occurring in every culture and social group. “Around the world, at least one in every three women has been abused in her lifetime – most often by someone she knows, including a member of her own family, an employer or a co-worker. The violence against women has been called the most pervasive, yet least recognised human rights abuse in the world. The gender-based violence occurs in both the public and private spheres,” he added.
Speaking at the occasion, Seemi Kamal said, “The public space for the emancipation and smooth working environment of women is getting slim. There is a need to raise voice against the violence perpetrated against women.” The seminar, a forum for dialogue and information sharing, was focused on raising awareness on gender-based violence and lobbying with the public sector stakeholders regarding the national and international commitments on gender. Moreover, it was meant to express solidarity with survivors of gender-based violence and celebrate the economic, political and social achievements of the women of Pakistan.
