Fauzia Waqar encourages women to speak up, seeks justice against harassers

ISLAMABAD, FEB 21 (APP/DNA):Federal Ombudsman for Protection against Harassment Fauzia Waqar on Friday emphasized the need for increased awareness and encouraged women to speak up and seek justice against harassers, urging victims to report incidents of harassment and take a stand against this pervasive issue.

In an exclusive conversation with a private news channel, Fauzia Waqar expressed alarm over Pakistan’s dismal ranking of 145 out of 146 countries in the Global Gender Gap Index, emphasizing the need for women to be aware of their rights and report complaints to spark a much-needed discussion.

She further highlighted that women are disproportionately vulnerable to harassment, facing a significantly higher risk than their male counterparts.

She said to visit the FOHPAS website and fill out the online complaint registration form, adding that citizens must provide their personal details, complaint description, and supporting documents.

For immediate assistance, victims can reach out to the dedicated helpline at 0344-4367367, she added.

Responding to a question, Ms Waqar explained that organizational harassment includes unwanted behaviour during recruitment, unnecessary questioning during interviews, limited career advancement opportunities, lack of equal treatment, inadequate training opportunities and exclusion from decision-making processes all of which disproportionately affect women.

Furthermore, she highlighted the severe consequences of harassment, including psychological stress leading to hair loss, family disturbances and a significant impact on the country’s economy, with estimates suggesting that harassment results in a staggering 30% loss to Pakistan’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Stressing the urgency of the matter,  Fauzia emphasized that addressing harassment is a priority and urged women to come forward and report incidents, asserting that their voices will be heard and their complaints will be addressed.