In a bid to promote safety and respect in the workplace, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has issued draft amendments to the Listed Companies. The proposed amendments require board of directors of listed companies to implement robust anti-harassment policies that align with the Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010, and relevant provincial laws.

On June 4th, 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan conducted an awareness session on "Protection against Harassment" at the SECP Head Office in Islamabad. The event was attended by distinguished guests, including the Honorable Ombudsperson Ms. Fauzia Viqar, Chairman SECP Mr. Akif Saeed, Mr. Bilal Rasool, Ms. Khalida Habib, Barrister Ahmed Pansota, Ms. Maleha Hussain, Ms. Sadaf Kashif, and Mr. Abdul Rehman Warraich.

The event commenced with a recitation of verses from Surah Nisa of the Holy Quran. Mr. Bilal Rasool, Chairman of the Harassment Committee, addressed various issues, causes, and solutions regarding harassment. He emphasized that SECP maintains a zero-tolerance policy against harassment and highlighted that there had been no formal complaints of harassment in the past year. His message against harassment was succinctly put as "VOICE IT TO STOP IT."

The Honorable Ombudsperson, Ms. Fauzia Viqar, praised SECP's efforts to create a harassment-free workplace. She emphasized the importance of prevention over cure and referenced the Global Gender Gap Index. She commended SECP's decision to increase the percentage of women in their organization from 25 percent to 40 percent by 2030. Ms. Viqar encouraged victims of harassment to speak up and urged others to support them.

Miss Maryam and her team at SECP were recognized for their outstanding efforts in creating awareness against harassment. A panel discussion ensued, where the honorable guests addressed important audience queries regarding intimidation, abuse of authority, and non-sexual harassment. Topics such as accused rights of cross-examination and fair trials were also discussed.

Finally, Chairman SECP addressed the audience, commending the efforts of the Honorable Ombudsperson and her office in creating harassment-free workplaces and protecting the rights of all genders. He advised his team to conduct more awareness sessions on the topic, implement third-party audits, gather 360-degree feedback on harassment and discrimination, and include an external member on inquiry committees to ensure impartiality in inquiries involving employees of the organization.