ISLAMABAD, March 9: Working with Sharks a book highlighting the problems being faced by the women at the workplaces and sexual harassment was launched at Lok Virsa on Friday during a function organised in connection with International Women Day.

Authoress and human rights activist Dr Fouzia Saeed while speaking on the occasion shed light on different aspects of the theme she chose getting inspired by the courage shown by the women who worked in the male-dominant environments. Other speakers were including Lok Virsa’s Executive Director Khalid Javaid, renowned artist Jamal Shah and writer Dr Fouzia Saeed.

In his speech, Khalid Javaid lauded the efforts of Dr Fouzia Saeed in highlighting the problems being confronted by women in the society particularly at their workplaces.

Lok Virsa has organised women-at-work festival in which participants from AJK, KP, Sindh, Balochistan, Fata, Punjab, government agencies including Erra and NDMA, NGOs like SPO, Save the Children, Helping Hands, seven UN agencies including Unicef, UN Women, WHO, UNDP, WFP and UNFPA arranged their stalls.

On the second day of the festival, a painting competition-cum-exhibition was held in which more than 70 female students from different local universities and colleges participated. Main themes of the competition were ‘Women at Workplace’, ‘Violence against Women’, ‘Ending Torture against Women in Police Custody,’ etc. The paintings were judged by a panel of jury headed by Jamal Shah. Prize distribution ceremony was organised on the occasion wherein shields and certificates were awarded to the participants.

The winners in the graduate category include Shumaila from Islamabad Model College for Girls (IMCG) F-7/2, Samia Basirat, Syeda Anum Fatima and Kinza Tariq from Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU), Rawalpindi.

In the post graduate category, Lubna Khalid, Hamna Ejaz and Maryam Ali Khan from Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi won the prizes.— A Reporter