RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: Punjab Commission on the status of women on Thursday organised a training session in Punjab Assembly with women Members of Provincial Assembly on the subject of Protection of women against harassment.

Women MPAs from all across the Punjab participated in this training session and shared their concerns about the implementation and effectiveness of this law.

Convener Women Parliamentary Caucus President Kanwal Numan and Secretary General Shameela Aslam hosted this training session. Kanwal Nauman thanked Chairperson PCSW Fauzia Viqar for arranging training session for the women parliamentarians of the Punjab assembly.

Participants emphasized upon Commission’s mandate to amend the law, regarding redressal mechanism of help seeker women, who lodge complaint on Punjab Women’s Helpline-1043. They also raised a grave concerns that no inquiry committee is formed inPunjab Assembly, so what can be the plight of other institutions. It was mutually agreed that such kind of awareness training sessions on different issues may be organized on regular basis for effective coordination between legislators and other institutions.

PCSW team Senior Legal Executive Helpline Imran Javed Qureshi and Legal Executive Helpline Salma Muzaffar conducted this training session and briefed in detail about the Protection of women against Harassment at Workplace Act 2010with amendment 2012, Section 509 of PPC, Telegraphic Act and Cyber Harassment laws.

PCSW Helpline 1043 as per the mandate takes complaints of women and refers to the concerned government department, then through constructive follow-up, plays a role for the redressal of the women’s issues.