PESHAWAR: Over 400 public and private sector organisations have formed inquiry committees under the anti-harassment law on the directives of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ombudsperson.

Anti-harassment ombudsperson Rukhshanda Naz had issued notices to 271 government and 133 private organisations directing them to constitute inquiry committees and display code of conduct provided in the Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010, in their respective institutions.

According to a press release, in response to the notices all the institutions have constituted their committees and got registered them with the KP Ombudsperson Secretariat.

The ombudsperson has warned the organisations failing to have inquiry committee and/or display the code of conduct would face fines up to Rs100,000.

The KP ombudsperson office was established in 2019 for implementation of the Act in the province aiming to protect women at the work and public places against harassment.

Each committee shall consist of three members with at least one women member. The objective is to create a safe and dignified working environment for all genders.

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2021