ISLAMABAD: Member National Assembly and Secretary, Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (WPC), Dr Shahida Rehmani, has moved a resolution in the National Assembly reaffirming Parliament’s commitment to protecting individuals against all forms of workplace harassment and gender-based discrimination.
The resolution highlights that workplace harassment is not confined to sexual misconduct but also include gender-based discrimination, intimidation, humiliation, degrading treatment, hostile behaviour and misuse of authority, whether sexual or non-sexual in nature.
It reiterates the protections provided under the Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010, as amended in 2022, which recognise gender-based discrimination, including non-sexual conduct, within the legal framework of workplace harassment.
The resolution further clarifies that the absence of a sexual advance or demand does not reduce the seriousness of harassment or gender-based discrimination. It stresses that all forms of conduct falling within the scope of the law must be addressed with equal seriousness, fairness and accountability.
Through the resolution, the National Assembly has been urged to call upon the Federal Government and relevant institutions to ensure effective implementation of existing legislation in its full scope, ensuring that no individual is denied legal protection on the grounds that the reported harassment or discrimination is non-sexual in nature.
The initiative also reflects the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus’s commitment to promoting safe, dignified and discrimination-free workplaces across the country.
The resolution maintains that freedom from harassment, humiliation and gender-based discrimination is not a privilege but a fundamental requirement of human dignity, equality and justice.