ISLAMABAD: The International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) Student Counselor Office in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Federal Ombudsman for Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace (FOSPAH) organized an awareness seminar on women’s property rights and protection against harassment at workplace on Tuesday. Speaking on the occasion, Federal Ombudsman for Protection of Women from Workplace Harassment Fauzia Viqar said that it is high time to increase the contribution of working women to stabilize the economy of the country.
She mentioned that many women face problems in the workplace that need to be addressed immediately. Calling on educated women, she said it is their responsibility to explore their property rights and raise voice about their privileges which are legitimate and defined. She noted that in order to ensure the implementation of laws related to harassment, it is important that disabled people raise their voices against this harassment. She recommended that people who are around the victim and have proper information about harassment matters should also raise their voice to prevent such incidents.
The Federal Ombudsman has also discussed gender-based harassment and has also defined and developed procedures for dealing with such issues through appropriate channels. In the question-and-answer section, she spoke about the privacy of the complainant and the role of FOSPAH in creating public perception and the necessary information about women’s property rights.
She also lauded IIUI for appointing the first female chancellor in its history, adding that it was a positive gesture and heralded the positive role of educational institutions in providing an equal platform to women to excel in the society. On this occasion, the rector of IIUI, Prof. Dr. Samina Malik, thanked Ms. Fauzia Viqar for an insightful and awareness-based discussion on the crucial issue of women’s property rights. She called on educational institutions and educated women from universities to play a role in protecting women’s rights and help institutions dealing with issues of women’s harassment.
She also informed the FOSPAH team and the participants that IIUI is an institution where female students outnumber male students and the university has specially earmarked a separate campus for women to get quality education. The seminar was also joined by Vice President for Research and Entrepreneurship, IIUI, Prof. Dr. Ahmed Shuja Syed, Director of Women’s Campus Dr. Summiyya Chughtai, student advisor to Dr. Sadia Saleem, faculty members and a large number of female students.
The seminar served as a platform for fruitful discussions and highlighted the importance of creating a safe and respectful work environment for all individuals. Participants engaged in dialogue, sharing best practices and exploring strategies to effectively address and prevent harassment in the workplace, with an emphasis on women’s dignity. Earlier, Federal Ombudsman Fauzia Viqar also called on Dr. Hathala Homoud Alotaibi, President of IIUI, and discussed issues of common interest. Both the President and the Ombudsman discussed the role of educational institutions in promoting women’s rights and deterring harassment.
