by JayJay
The life of a Pakistani woman is not easy. It is not a hidden fact that she is subjected to discrimination and harassment, within and without the so-called sanctuary of her home. However, harassment and bullying becomes more intense and blatant when she steps out of her home for work or education. From catcalls to verbal innuendo to physical harassment, she has to endure it all, mostly at the hands of strangers, on the streets and on public transport. This harassment does not stop, or rather become more palpable in many cases, at her place of work. The act of harassing women, with sexual tones and motives, by fellow employees or supervisors/managers is referred to sexual harassment. Wikipedia defines sexual harassment as:
Harassment or unwelcome attention of a sexual nature. It includes a range of behavior from mild transgressions and annoyances to serious abuses, which can even involve forced sexual activity. Sexual harassment is considered a form of illegal discrimination in many countries, and is a form of abuse (sexual and psychological) and bullying.
An editorial from The News on October 1 has summed up the issue well, by pointing out to the absence of appropriate legislation to deal with this growing phenomenon. Offering some the broad suggestions, the editorial reads:
As a first step, the government and the private sector should join hands to start a campaign in which sexual harassment in the workplace is defined. This will make working women understand what is acceptable and what is not acceptable behavior in a workplace. The second step in this national exercise would be to ask employers to put into place a proper policy that defines sexual harassment and clearly spells out what action is to be taken against someone found guilty of it. In addition to this, employers need to have a mechanism which enables any employee subjected to such harassment to approach an appropriate forum for filing a complaint. The complaint should be treated confidentially and investigated, and if guilty the offender should be punished according to the employer’s code of ethics for employees. Of course, given that many companies have an environment which is more or less male-dominated and where men are in most decision-making senior roles, it may be a bit much to expect that things will change overnight. However, to do nothing would also be a sign that we as a nation are not willing to evolve and provide justice to those who are victims of this menace.The menace of sexual harassment at the place of work has been comprehensively and effectively addressed by the West where workplaces are no longer the sole domain of men. Pakistan has a lot to catch up on this matter, and quickly so, as more and more women are entering workforce. It makes economic sense both for employers and the government to have an effective and clear legislation and corporate policies to protect women against harassment. Not only skills and talent of education women can be brought to use more effectively by attracting them in a safe workplace but it has been seen worldwide that presence of women in offices helps boost productivity, besides infusing fresh ideas and way of thinking.
While enacting a piece of legislation and formulating policies is most critical step, a concerted awareness campaign is necessary to influence general attitudes and social behaviors. Without bringing about change to prevalent perception of working women in Pakistan, there is little chance of success in overcoming the problem of sexual harassment. The fact of matter is that most women in Pakistan brave into men-dominated workplaces out of economic necessity, rather than to fulfill career aspirations. The position of women in workplace in Europe, North American and even South East Asia has become entrenched, still it is not odd to come across a public service announcement to press the message on the issue. Such public service announcements are even more necessary in a society like Pakistan where we leg behind even comparable countries in accepting the role of women at work.
dear thinker your personal attack on me has just proved that you have indeed lost the argument. My point about PHDs was to show that there can be many views to the same argument and you can not quote a random PHD and that be the only valid argument. I have no clue what the rest of your post is about. Taste of freedom? I prefer to live free and taste tea. And a simple request. You do not know me apart from the posts I have made, which arent many so please do not go passing judgements on my character, refute my arguments based on what I have written and not what you assume.
So why do you keep answering and answering the posts?
Try to marginalize people you disagree with as much as you want…they will not go away because you want them to.
@tina, if you write something then should have courage to read as well; again …
unfortunately you know nothing about Muhammad Iqbal and Muhammad Ali Jinnah and talking about pakistaniat; how come?????
See both persons can be identified as Muslims by their name, and here some people seem to be allergic from Islam …
people from your class are not even 0.1 % of our society you are statistically ignorable. So why should we listen to you; when we know you are wrong.
But Thinker, for every Western PhD you quote there are dozens or hundreds more qualified and accomplished who say the precise opposite…why don’t you quote them?
Why would anyone want their freedom to disappear? And disappear before its too late for what exactly?
Sultan,
Who are you to say what is natural for a woman? I would think that only women could know that.
Who are you to define the Pakistaniat?
There was a great thread on the Pakistaniat last week and as we saw it included everything including a lot of dissent on whether or not such a thing even existed.
I find your attitude very arrogant.
another chaotic reply from another liberal. well you see cheif even the western phds don’t have an effect on you guys, so I think there is no point in banging my head with a wall here. Those phds and think-tanks now know of their mistakes; they have learnt that in time. But you just had the taste of western freedom and it will stay in your mouths for a while… so enjoy it dude till it disappears; you should hope it disappears before its too late.
thinker, you are not much of a thinker…just because your class fellow managed to succeed means women do not face significant problems in Pakistan?
Two types of people are bogging our society down a) Dehatee types who will deny everything and consider it patriotism and b) Mualana types who see loss of their grip on society in any change…no matter how good the change be.
Wow, I think we must be typing this in real time.
“No-one restricts women in our country”
What country do you live in? Please read JayJay’s original post.
Yes, many women are mentally ill. Mental illness does not just happen but flowers under pressure of unnatural stress. There are frequently purely environmental causes.
In Saudi 95% of the inmates of mental hospitals are women (95%!) and women outnumber men in asylums in all countries.
We have to inspect the causes of female insanity and I am sure we will find oppressive treatment in its more extreme form at the root of much of it.
Anyway, now that you have reached the point of personally insulting me and accusing me of lying (twice)I think it’s time to end. I don’t think anything useful is going to be said at this late stage.
I don’t need any work or effort to rethink anything, thanks, my dear…I am very comfortable with my viewpoints…..give your haughty kingly instructions to some other woman.
Thankfully I can step out for fresh air where I am now. Others are not as fortunate. Or should I go back to the days when I had to wait in my room for brother or dad to find the time to take me somewhere even if I only needed to go on a small errand…..and if this was a bother for them they let me know it. What a life, I don’t know how men can stand it either, if you ask me. It’s a burden on their backs also.