May 6, 2004

Women constitute a large percentage of the workforce, despite which they are not given their rights, and they face all forms of sexual harassment, writes Karima D. Mohammad

As the new century brings many technological challenges and we witness men reaching for the skies, the biggest challenge remains unfulfilled: giving women their due rights as full citizens. This is certainly true of Pakistani women who constitute approximately 48 per cent of the population. Undoubtedly, women play a significant role in the social and economic development of the country, but it is unfortunate that unjust treatment is part of their fortune. Commentators say that problems related to working women are increasing day by day.

In Pakistan, the number of women in the workforce has increased in two decades from less than one million to over seven million in 2003. Almost 39 to 57 per cent of women work in the agricultural sector, while 17 per cent are employed in urban manufacturing services and seven per cent work in the public sector. The garment sector comprises the majority of the workforce for women. Pakistan draws almost 60 per cent of foreign exchange through textile and garment imports, but workers are denied their basic rights.

Violence against women at the workplace is a global issue — women face discrimination at the workplace in the form of psychological abuse to physical abuse, from sexual harassment to even rape. A report in 2001 by Working Women Support Centre states: “Sexual harassment is unwanted and unwelcome sexual conduct that unreasonably interferes with an individual’s job performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.” Furthermore, women have to suffer from unwanted physical contact which includes intentional touching, pinching and blocking a person’s path to the more severe sexual assault.

According to a survey conducted by the same group recently, 95 per cent of women face harassment at the workplace and it is increasing day by day in Pakistan. Recent statistics show that 58 per cent of nurses face sexual harassment by co-workers, patients and their relatives, and doctors. Additionally 91 per cent of the domestic workers reported that they face harassment from their employers. Similarly, 93 per cent of women employees in both the private and public sector said they were “tortured” by their employers. This harassment occurs across all ages, classes and posts/designations.

Despite Pakistan being an Islamic country that guarantees women’s rights accorded to them by religion and the Constitution, in reality, women continue to be denied their rights. An investigation into the issue was recently conducted by the Alliance Against Sexual Harassment at the Workplace (AASHA) and it reported: “Most working women in Pakistan at one time or another face this kind of violation of their rights from their colleagues, bosses or employees.”

Furthermore, women are often forced to work under hazardous conditions, contact situations, wage discrimination not to mention being ill-treated by their employers.

Many factories exist in Pakistan where women are not allowed to form unions, where overtime is seldom paid, or paid leave is not given, and family responsibilities are not given any consideration. In addition, women are not paid the same salaries as men working in the same positions.

Moreover, these conditions and circumstances have inflicted serious emotional and physical effects on the female victims, including excessive stress and mental illnesses like post-traumatic stress syndrome, feelings of guilt, self-deprecation, depression and even contemplating suicide. The physical effects can include marks on the body from being assaulted, headaches and physical disability. As a result, many women often leave their jobs, possibly placing the Pakistan economy at a disadvantage. Furthermore, despite the fact that women are facing a lot of violations they still choose not to discuss harassment due to cultural and social reasons. Most victims are physically threatened when they refuse to accept the sexual propositions of their male bosses and co-workers.

In many cases, women victims are blamed if they choose to report an incident of sexual harassment. The fear of losing their jobs can play a huge role in preventing women from raising their voices against the harassment. Apart from this, women also fear that if they tell their parents and/or family members about the harassment they’re facing at work, they will then not be allowed to continue working and will have to stay at home.

Ironically, however, those women who do have the courage to stand up for their rights end up finding no justice and instead experience degradation within the system. A study conducted by AASHA, said that, “The legal procedures reinforce a woman’s experience of humiliation, embarrassment and public exposure, thus isolating her further.”

Thanks to the many seminars conducted on the subject of a proper workplace environment and the remarkable growth in awareness of violence at the workplace, some progress has been made. However, there still exists need for further implementation and enforcement of laws which affect the health and safety of workers.

Pakistan is a signatory to the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) which endeavours to protect women against sexual harassment at the workplace, as described under Article 19. Apart from this, the code of conduct for gender equity has been formed which aims to provide protection and care to women at the workplace. It builds upon the principles of equal opportunity for men and women, and their right to earn a livelihood without fear of abuse.

In Pakistan, laws are available on almost all issues, but the main problem is non-implementation and enforcement. Rubina Jamil, a representative of the Working Women Organization, (WWO) said: “None of the governmental or non-governmental organizations in the country have any well-implemented code of conduct.”

Every year, large numbers of women are becoming victims of some type of violent act. This has caused sexual violence to become a growing concern among societies. Women always think that it will never happen to them — but if one looks at the number of victims of this crime — one realizes that it could happen to any woman.

Rubina Jamil stated that “the majority of the people surveyed actually denied existence of sexual harassment at the workplace.” Sexual violence will not cease if we continue to let it occur and women have to stand up and fight this crime. Dr Hasan Akram Sarosh, vice-president of the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI), said that “it is also the duty of our women not to consider themselves as the weaker sex after joining any job.”

Undoubtedly, the government’s role is central in the recognition and eradication of sexual harassment at the workplace. Along with that, any organization’s management and administration has to play a key role in reducing incidents of sexual harassment at the workplace by consciously identifying and correcting their own sexually discriminatory attitudes.

Employers need to develop an appropriate policy with specific guidelines and regulations so that they can deal with complaints of this nature. Training and education is also essential so that they can protect themselves and co-workers in case such incidents occur. Punishment to perpetrators and taking prompt and swift action is also important for a safe environment.

Apart from the government, it is also the duty of society to bring awareness and change our own beliefs and views regarding this issue. Every individual has to play a significant role in changing the image of Pakistan so that women can get due respect.

It is difficult for the government to implement the laws without the support and cooperation of citizens. There is a need for sensitizing people in our society about their individual rights. As the provincial minister for social welfare and women development, Qari Roohullah Madni, rightly states: “Apart from the government, it is also the responsibility of an individual to help in the implementation of laws.”

The lack of availability of equal opportunities prevents highly qualified women from being allowed to come out from their homes, which further contributes towards national and personal loss. The proper implementation of laws along with citizen’s efforts in a responsible manner are needed to eradicate violence from the workplace.

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