SHARP-Pakistan, in collaboration with the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Bahria University Islamabad Campus (BUIC) E-8, and with the generous support of the German Embassy Islamabad, organized a Legal Literacy Session on Gender Equality and Workplace Harassment under its SHARP-Women Programme.
CEO SHARP-Pakistan, in his opening remarks, highlighted that Pakistan has strong laws for protection, but the real gap lies in awareness, effective implementation and compliance. He noted that harassment is not just a legal violation but a cultural and power dynamic, and urged students to know their rights, own their spaces, and act as upstanders to foster safe and respectful environments.
Ms. Sonia, Project Coordinator facilitated the session and engaged participants in discussions on gender equality, types of gender-based violence (GBV), social norms, and their impact on individuals and society. Through interactive questions and real-life examples, students explored how gender discrimination and unequal power dynamics can lead to harassment and violence in educational and professional settings. The discussion emphasized challenging harmful norms, promoting mutual respect, ensuring equal opportunities, and recognizing inappropriate behaviour while seeking support when needed.
Dr. Majid Hussain, Deputy Head of Department, H&SS, BUIC, welcomed the collaboration and appreciated SHARP-Pakistan for engaging students on such a critical and practical topic. He emphasized the importance of academia-industry linkage for providing students with real-world legal literacy and empowering them, particularly young women, to navigate professional spaces with confidence and awareness of their rights. The session was highly interactive, marked by the enthusiasm, thoughtful questions and active participation of students.
We are sincerely grateful to Dr. Tehseen Zahra, Head of Department, Dr. Majid Hussain, Deputy Head of Department, and Ms. Sarah Anver from H&SS, BUIC, for their warm welcome and excellent facilitation.
Our heartfelt thanks to Ms. Sheza from the Federal Ombudsperson Secretariat for Protection against Harassment (FOSPAH) for a very informative and practical session on Pakistan’s legal framework.
SHARP appreciates the Government of Pakistan for its progressive legislation and the German Embassy Islamabad for its consistent support for human rights and justice. We look forward to strengthening our collaboration with H&SS, BUIC E-8 in future.
