March 30, 2013 – Pakistan Gender News

March 30, 2013August 20, 2013

Women harassment: Govt departments, companies asked to display code of conduct

Myra Imran

Islamabad: In a letter issued on Friday, the federal Ombudsperson asked all government departments and private companies to display the code of conduct for Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace and submit the implementation report to the Ombudsperson within fortnight.

The letter introduces the Act to the relevant department which says that the law was promulgated on March 9, 2010 to create safe working environment for women and men free of harassment, abuse and intimidation.

The letter says that all ministries, divisions, departments, corporations or any autonomous or semi-autonomous body, education institutes, medical facilities established or controlled by the federal or provincial government or district government, registered civil society associations, privately managed a commercial or an industrial establishment or institution, a company as defined in the Companies Ordinance 1984 (XL VII of 1984) and including any other registered private section organizations or Institutions are liable to implement the legislation.

The letter asks all above mentioned departments and companies to constitute three members committee of credible persons, with at least one women member as provided in Section 3 of the Act-2010, to address the complaints of harassment as per law, as and when received to ensure that justice is done swiftly and retaliation against the complainants in curbed.

It also orders for adoption of code of conduct prescribe in the law as provided in Section 11 of the Act and displaying copies of the code in English as well as in language understood by majority of the employees at conspicuous place in the organization and the workplace besides informing and educating the employees to make them more aware of the provisions of the Act and to encourage a professional and dignified work environment for the women/men in public and private sectors.

The letter is also copied to the Chief Secretary (Punjab) with the request that all the Deputy Commissioners may be directed to forward the implementation report directly to the Federal Ombudsman Secretariat in order to avoid further delay in implementation of Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2010 as the matter has already been delayed and also to the commissioner Islamabad with the request that the report may be furnished to Federal Ombudsman Secretariat within the given time positively.

The News

March 30, 2013

Three female British activists of Pak origin raped by Libyan militiamen

Three female British activists of Pakistani origin were raped by Libyan pro-government militiamen in the eastern city of Benghazi, after joining an aid convoy bound for Gaza to break an Israeli blockade, officials from several countries confirmed on Friday. Libyan deputy prime minister Awad al-Barassi, who visited the women in the hospital, said the victims were traveling with two male companions when they were kidnapped on Tuesday on their way to the Benghazi airport after deciding to return to Britain.

The overland convoy left Britain on Feb. 25, but was stuck for days along the Libyan-Egyptian border after Egyptian border guards refused to let them to cross. Al-Barassi told Libya al-Hurra TV late on Thursday that the women were in “very bad shape.’’ Two of the women are sisters and their father witnessed the rape of the women, he said.

Their 10-vehicle convoy carrying medical supplies was named “Mavi Marmara’’ in honor of a ship involved in a 2010 deadly flotilla incident, according to Huseyin Oruc of IHH, a Turkish humanitarian relief organization.

IHH was the group that helped organize the international flotilla that was attacked on May 31, 2010. Israeli commandos stormed the Mavi Marmara while stopping the flotilla that was trying to breach an Israeli blockade of Gaza.

Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry condemned the attack and said that Pakistani embassy in Libya had lodged a strong protest with Libyan authorities. “A heinous crime has been committed against these female activists,” he said, adding that he hoped stern action would be taken against the attackers. Britain’s Foreign Office said in a statement that it was aware of an incident involving British nationals who were part of an aid convoy. The office said the government was providing consular assistance, but it did not elaborate.

The News

March 30, 2013

Protest in Jacobabad over girl’s conversion, marriage

SUKKUR: Election for the Hindu Punchayat in Jacobabad scheduled for Friday had to be postponed due to a wave of anger in the local minority community over conversion of a young female member.

Reports from the Jhanjhri Street area of the city suggested that the girl, Ganga, daughter of Ashok Kumar, a gold trader, married to Asif Ali, son of Bahadur Ali Surhio, another gold trader, at Dargah Amrot Sharif, where the girl embraced Islam before
custodian of the shrine Syed Siraj Ahmed Shah Amroti. She changed her name to Aasia.

Parents of the girl, along with several relatives, rushed to the shrine immediately after coming to know about the matter
but the freewill marriage had already been registered.

They returned to their area of residence and lodged an FIR of their daughter’s alleged kidnapping against Asif Ali as well as his father, Bahadur Ali, and a brother, Abid Ali, and another man, Miran Bukhsh, at the city police station.

Asif Ali remained away from his residence located in Gharibabad but his father, brother and Miran Bukhsh were arrested.

In the meantime, the Hindu community of the city took to the streets and staged a protest demonstration against what they described as ‘kidnapping’ of the girl. Angry groups of local residents also called for a strike and postponement of the Hindu Punchayat elections until the matter was settled.

However, candidates and their supporters present in the Janta Hall, where polling was to take place, strongly resisted the move.
Heated arguments between supporters and opponents created an ugly situation and police had to be called out to restore order.

Later, incumbent Punchayat chief Harpal Das Chabria announced postponement of the election for an indefinite period. He told several hundred voters and their candidates that kidnapping of community girls and their forced conversion had registered an increase for some time.

He appealed to the authorities concerned to check the trend and provide protection to the community in the province.

A rally was also taken out from Janta Hall against the alleged kidnapping of the girl. Participants in the rally marched up to the
local press club raising slogans for the girl’s reunion with her family.

Their leaders warned that if the demand was not met, the community would observe a shutterdown across the city and start
agitation.

Some of them alleged that local Sarafa Association president Samiullah Surhio was involved in the (alleged) kidnapping episode. However, Mr Surhio told the media that he had nothing to do with the matter.

He said he was being dragged into the matter only because he and Asif Ali had the same caste. He expressed his sympathy
with the affected family and the Hindu community and assured them of all cooperation in settling the dispute.

Dawn

March 30, 2013

NGO distributes sewing machines among poor girls

PESHAWAR – Following a six months skill development training, a local Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) distributed sewing machines and course completion certificates among 30 poor girls here on Thursday.

The sewing machines were distributed in a function held at a training centre of the FLOWERS NGO at Haji Camp where Ms Robeena Riaz, an official of Social Welfare & Women Development Department was the chief guest.

Giving details, the organisation head Fazal Mehmood said that the project had been initiated in collaboration with a Swiss NGO Equal Education Fund (EEF) wherein 30 poor girls were trained in every batch of six months.

During the training, he said experts of different fields taught the girls about sewing, embroidery, health education, hygiene, skill of marketing of different home made products.

Of the females, he said many were working in the houses on nominal wages but now they became skilled to earn their livelihood honourably and to avoid exploitation in the society.

Speaking on the occasion, Robeena Riaz lauded the efforts of FLOWERS and said that these were the right steps towards the empowerment of the neglected and marginalised sections of the society.

She also said that her department would fully support the girls by providing them the chances of visiting their centre as well as guiding them for making their products more competitive and qualitative.

During the training, he said experts of different fields taught the girls about sewing, embroidery, health education, hygiene, skill of marketing of different home made products.

Of the females, he said many were working in the houses on nominal wages but now they became skilled to earn their livelihood honourably and to avoid exploitation in the society.

Speaking on the occasion, Robeena Riaz lauded the efforts of flowers and said that these were the right steps towards the empowerment of the neglected and marginalised sections of the society.

The Nation