Women in Pakistan have been a victim of sexual harassment for years and the state is unable to provide relief to them by taking relevant measures to control this practice. Recently, an order has been issued by the federal ombudsman who has imposed a penalty on the former ambassador of Pakistan to Italy, Nadeem Riaz, who has been found sexually harassing the trade officer. The reports have shown that the ombudsman has charged him with a heavy fine on the complaint of the trade officer who said that Nadeem Riaz had sexually harassed her by using different tactics and made the whole working environment so uncomfortable for her that she had to return to Pakistan forcefully.
In Pakistan, women who are working in offices with male colleagues and at places where the male ratio is significantly high, find inconvenience in their mobility around and at the workplace as they undergo lecherous stares from men and unethical dealings that make them uncomfortable. This was found to affect their overall performance as they struggle to protect themselves to work freely. It often happens that the senior employers, taking an advantage of their privileged position, are seen sexually harassing their female colleagues under the garb of office requirements that they demand from them. Official reports suggest that more than 70 per cent of women are harassed at their workplaces every day. Many women have abandoned the idea of being a working woman owing to the lack of security and improper working conditions at the workplace and those who are forced to earn to support their families often remain silent as they cannot give up their job, nor do they complain about it due to fear of losing their employment.
Registering complaints about sexual harassment is also considered a “taboo” in our society where women choose to remain silent to escape from the fear of negative consequences.
A 25-year-old banker, Sara working in an office, says about the practice being prevalent in the workplace that puts women in jeopardy, “Harassment exists and we cannot ignore that. But we have to remain silent, otherwise our fathers and brothers wouldn’t let us continue working, and we cannot afford that.”
Registering complaints about sexual harassment is also considered a “taboo” in our society where women choose to remain silent to escape from the fear of negative consequences. If a woman talks freely and openly about how she has been sexually harassed, she is further ridiculed and sacked from the job. Taking action against the harasser/ culprit is equal to losing a job at most places.
A report was produced on the “Sexual Harassment at workplace in Pakistan” after analyzing the experience of various women who were asked about their working environment at the workplace. One of the respondents complained, “My friend complained the boss being harassed. The boss fired me to secure the image of organization.”
Another woman also shared her distressing situation at the workplace saying, “There was nothing much that could be done because even when some of us complained it was treated as being arrogant, accusing or exploitative by the guilty party, which sadly was always accepted by the senior management rather than ask for details or believe the complaint raiser.”
Another woman interviewed said, “Mostly guys and senior management used to tease girls on the dress code and passed racist jokes at my workplace.”
Most women are also found switching their jobs in order to avoid such a toxic environment where they are harassed more than before. It is observed that the new inductees become the easiest prey of sexual harassment as they are often confused, afraid of and undergo mixed feelings about their new hiring.
According to the data collected by White Ribbon Pakistan, an NGO working for women’s rights, 4,734 women faced sexual violence between 2004 and 2016. Lately, the government of Pakistan has passed the “Protection against Harassment at the Workplace (Amendment Bill), 2022 has amended the weaker provisions of the 2010 law. The law provides a clear exposition of the term “sexual harassment” that was previously vague and ratified strict penalty against the perpetrators. It is considered, now, the prerogative of the state to exercise political will and ensure security for women with the full implementation of the law.
Pakistan observes an increased ratio of overall working women in recent years but the country is grappling with the issue of psychological, physical and sexual harassment of women that impedes their safe mobility and prevents them from stepping outside to work. The new law passed against controlling sexual harassment needs readily to be put into practice, giving a protected environment and equal opportunities to women to learn and grow.
The writer is a sociocultural critic with a focus on human rights. She can be reached at [email protected]