ISLAMABAD, Oct 18: Federal Minister for Women Development Sherry Rehman on Saturday expressed the hope that the legislation aimed at protecting women from sexual harassment would be adopted for implementation within a few months.

Briefing reporters after chairing a ‘stakeholders’ meeting’ which was held to discuss the draft legislation entitled ‘Protection of Women from Harassment Act’, she said the proposed bill would be sent to the cabinet division after the incorporation of the stakeholders’ input. “We will make an effort to speed up the process and get the legislation on this important issue presented and passed in the coming months,” she said.

The consultative session was attended by the secretaries of the women development ministry, law ministry and ministry for labour and manpower, along with representatives of leading civil society organisations for women. The proposed bill has been drafted by the women development ministry along with the AASHA, a network of CSOs working against sexual harassment. “Today’s meeting was part of our commitment to screen and analyse every piece of proposed legislation with stakeholders to ensure that they cover maximum ground and address the related issue comprehensively,” said Ms Rehman, adding that the draft bill on domestic violence by the women’s development ministry and the freedom of information bill by the ministry of information have undergone a similar procedure.