Hon. Ms. Fauzia Viqar shared how sexual harassment remains a significant barrier to women's economic participation, linking it directly to broader social inequalities. "Financial independence directly translates into social empowerment, but harassment often forces women out of the workforce and into exploitative work, including domestic and home-based work," she noted. UNDP’s Resident Representative, Mr. Samuel Rizk, reinforced the organization’s commitment to addressing these issues within its own workforce. He outlined UNDP’s zero-tolerance policy toward harassment and highlighted ongoing efforts to promote a safe, inclusive work environment.

Meher Jamy, the Law Officer at FOSPAH, provided a detailed overview of Pakistan’s legal mechanisms for addressing workplace harassment, focusing on FOSPAH’s Act and services. These include expeditious and free-of-cost handling of complaints within 90 days and, without the need for legal representation, making it an accessible option for victims of harassment. She further elaborated on the broad scope of the 2010 Act, which covers both sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination, ensuring protection for women from hiring discrimination, workplace stereotypes, and barriers to promotion.

The event also emphasized the need for enhanced collaboration between UNDP and FOSPAH to raise awareness and extend outreach to marginalized communities, particularly transgender individuals and domestic workers, who often face heightened vulnerability to workplace harassment and discrimination. The event concluded with a Q&A session, with participants asking for further details on FOSPAH’s complaint registration process, the powers available to FOSPAH to implement its orders, and the importance of evidence in harassment cases. FOSPAH continues to work toward eliminating workplace harassment and advancing gender equality across Pakistan.