Punjab Ombudsperson Farkhanda Wasim Afzal on Thursday awarded penalty to a senior officer of the Punjab government’s Livestock Department for his “demeaning, objectionable and unacceptable” behavior towards a female officer.
The penalty was awarded after hearing the female officer’s complaint lodged under the Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010.
It is not clear if the official would face any consequences for harassing the female officer or if there are any protections available to the officer against such actions in the future.
The Act was promulgated to provide a harassment and intimidation-free work environment for women so that they could perform their duties to their full potential with dignity. The ombudsperson after hearing the parties concluded that the demeaning attitude and use of objectionable language by the senior officer to a female employee (complainant) was “harassment” as per the provisions of the Act and awarded official “censure” to the accused officer.
She also observed that such attitude was not only morally unacceptable but also created intimidation in the work environment for women.
