Lahore: Punjab Ombudsperson for Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Dr Najma Afzal Khan and Sindh Ombudsman for Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace (retired) Shahnawaz Tariq on Monday agreed to strengthen institutional cooperation to prevent workplace harassment and ensure the effective redressal of complaints.
During a meeting in Lahore, the two ombudspersons discussed measures to enhance inter-provincial coordination, improve institutional linkages, ensure the timely disposal of harassment complaints and strengthen the effectiveness of anti-harassment committees in public and private organisations. Punjab Ombudsperson’s Staff Officer Hafiz Farooq Anwar also attended the meeting.
The participants emphasised that providing women with a safe, dignified and harassment-free working environment was a shared responsibility of state institutions. They underscored the need for the effective implementation of anti-harassment laws, stronger institutional mechanisms and greater public awareness to curb workplace harassment.
Dr Najma Afzal Khan said the effective enforcement of a zero-tolerance policy against workplace harassment required close coordination among all relevant institutions. She added that Punjab was taking further steps to strengthen measures aimed at ensuring a safe and enabling environment for women.
Tariq welcomed enhanced collaboration between provincial institutions, saying the exchange of experience, best practices and legal expertise would help further strengthen mechanisms for the prevention and response to workplace harassment.