National Assembly passes resolution against workplace harassment and gender discrimination

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly unanimously passed a resolution reaffirming its commitment to protect the dignity, equality and rights of every individual against all forms of harassment and gender-based discrimination at the workplace.

The resolution was moved in the House by Dr Shahida Rehmani, a member of the National Assembly and secretary of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus.

The resolution said harassment at the workplace is not limited to sexual conduct. It can also take the form of gender discrimination, intimidation, ridicule, demeaning treatment, hostile behaviour and abuse of authority, whether sexual or non-sexual.

It reaffirmed the legal spirit of the Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act 2010, as amended in 2022. According to the resolution, the law recognises gender discrimination, both sexual and non-sexual, as falling within the scope of harassment.

The resolution stressed that the absence of a sexual offer or demand does not reduce the seriousness of gender-based harassment or discrimination. It said the dignity of individuals cannot be subjected to fine distinctions between types of harassment, and that every behaviour covered by the law should be dealt with with equal seriousness, justice and accountability.

The House called on the federal government and all relevant institutions to ensure full and effective implementation of the existing law, so that no person is denied legal protection merely because the reported harassment or gender discrimination is non-sexual in nature.

According to the resolution, a workplace free from harassment, ridicule and gender discrimination is not a privilege but a basic requirement of human dignity, equality and justice. The move also strengthens the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus’s commitment to workplaces across the country being free from harassment, intimidation, ridicule and discrimination.