The office of Sindh Ombudsman, under its project "Protection of Women against Harassment at Workplace," has established 24 complaint centers across the province, said Syed Pir Ali Shah, the provincial ombudsman for protection of women rights. Addressing a seminar to raise awareness among the public in general and working women in particular about the facility, he said six of these centres are also operational at each of the districts in Karachi.
"Working women can lodge their complaints regarding harassment for immediate redressal," he said reiterating that government is fully committed to implement the law in its true spirit. Syed Pir Ali Shah said Sindh has been the first province in the country where office of Ombudsman for Protection of Working Women against Harassment at their Workplace," has been established. There is a team working hard to resolve relevant cases through speedy justice with in 30 days from the date of complaint lodged by the women, he said.
The ombudsman said 155 complaints from different parts of province have been registered with his office and till date 110 of these have been resolved. Syed Pir Ali Shah said in compliance to its purview the office of ombudsman is holding series of seminars and awareness sessions, in collaboration with different government departments and well as NGOs and CBOs, at different educational institutions and organizations.
"We can presently witness growing confidence of working women," he said mentioning that the office taking a step forward has also initiated on-line registration of relevant complaint. The Sindh Ombudsman advised the women in particular to also keep themselves updated through varied modes of communication including website, mail, phone etc.
1 www.sindh.gov.pk/dpt/provincial ombudsman/index.htm
2 e mail: ombudsman [email protected]
3 twitter.com/ombudsman phwwp
4 linkedin.com provincial ombudsman Sindh (phwwp)
5 Phones: 02199222744
Senior woman activist Mehnaz Rehman, the guest speaker on the occasion, appreciated efforts of the Ombudsman office. Senior journalist Zofeen Ibrahim in her presentation regretted that many of the media organizations are yet to implement the act. "They have not even formed the essential committees needed to investigate the complaints although a large number of women are working at these media houses, in varied capacities," she said.
Other speakers on the occasion pointed out those working women were faced with great difficulties in commuting due to inadequate transport service and also because of non-existent day-care centers at their respective work-place.
Dr Fouzia Saeed, Chairperson of the Aasha Movement that helped incorporation of Act IV 2010 in the constitution of the country and paved way for a comprehensive law protecting working women against harassment at the work place was also among the speakers along with. The program was also attended by former minister for women development, Tauqeer Fatema Bhutto, senior journalist Ghazi Salahuddin, known writer Hasina Moen besides known actors Samina Ahmed and Sania Saeed.
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