Ms. Fauzia Viqar, Federal Ombudsperson against Harassment delivered a Webinar on Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010 to foreign and domestic ombudspersons
The establishment of the Federal Ombudsperson Secretariat for Protection against Harassment is a testament to the State of Pakistan’s commitment to ensuring gender equality, which is mandated by the Constitution of Pakistan - Ms. Fauzia Viqar, Federal Ombudsperson against Harassment On 27.03.2024 the Wafaqi Mohtasib (Maladministration) being President of the Asian Ombudsman Association organised a Webinar on the law of Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010. Ms. Fauzia Viqar, the Federal Ombudsperson against Harassment delivered the Webinar which was presided by Mr. Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi, Wafaqi Mohtasib (Maladministration) and President of Asian Ombudsman Association; Ambassador (R) Abdul Moiz Bokhari, Executive Secretary Asian Ombudsman Assoication; and 74 participants from different Ombudsmen Offices of whom 36 were from foreign countries. Ms. Viqar elaborated upon the Office of Federal Ombudsperson Secretariat for Protection against Harassment (FOSPAH), particularly the mandate of FOSPAH which empowers it to address harassment faced by men, women and transgendered persons at the workplace and to secure the rights of women in properties situated in Islamabad Capital Territory. She outlined the procedure followed in complaints filed before FOSPAH in which expeditious and free of cost justice is provided to complainants and fair opportunity of hearing is given to both the Complainant and the Accused to present their version. Ms. Viqar also touched upon the penalties prescribed in the law for accused persons found guilty of having committed actionable harassment. The Webinar ended with a question answer session wherein participants raised various queries regarding same-sex discrimination; concealing the identity of the complainant during the proceedings; and the protection provided by FOSPAH to the complainant against retaliatory actions.