United Nations Special Rapporteur Visit to FOSPAH Head Office Islamabad

Today, the Federal Ombudsperson for Protection Against Harassment at the Workplace (FOSPAH), Ms. Fauzia Viqar,  met with Ms. Reem Alsalem, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls, and Ms. Ivana Krstic, Member of the UN Working Group on Discrimination Against Women and Girls.

The discussion focused on FOSPAH’s mandate and its role in protecting and promoting women’s rights under two key laws— The Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010 and The Enforcement of Women’s Property Rights Act, 2020.

Ms. Fauzia also outlined several challenges that continue to hinder women’s ownership and control of property in Pakistan, including:

  • Lack of digitization of revenue records
  • Discretionary power and influence of revenue authorities, leading to potential manipulation of property records
  • Deep-rooted cultural and societal norms
  • Limited awareness of women’s legal entitlements

The discussion also emphasized the importance of public awareness campaigns to ensure women's equal access to property and protection from workplace harassment.