LAHORE: The Government College University (GCU) on Wednesday organised a webinar on “Prevention of Sexual Harassment: Creating a safe and respectful work environment at the campus” to raise awareness among students and faculty members about the sexual harassment.

Punjab Ombuds person Rukhsana Gilani and GCU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Asghar Zaidi addressed the webinar which was moderated by Prof Dr Faiza Sharif, a member of the GCU Anti-Harassment Committee. The webinar was broadcasted live on social media.

Ms Gilani said with the increase in awareness, more and more women are finding the courage to report cases of harassment for action. She said that they had taken information and help from forensic laboratories, telephone exchanges, cybercrime cells and other departments in different cases to decide the complaints on merit. She accepted that it’s not necessary that man was guilty all the time.

Prof Zaidi said there was zero tolerance for sexual harassment on the campus and anyone could lodge complaint using the Vice Chancellor portal on the university website where the identities of complainants were fully protected. He said an Anti-Harassment Committee was established but in some cases, where the university would need external data/support, they could request the Punjab Ombudsperson for investigation.

He said definition of harassment would be pasted on information boards in all departments and three focal persons were designated on sexual harassment in the university. Prof Sharif requested the Punjab Ombuds person to arrange training for the members of Universities’ harassment committees.

Published in Dawn, August 13th, 2020