Farkhund Yousafzai
RAWALPINDI: National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) is committed to ensuring zero tolerance against sexual harassment to provide an enabling and dignified learning environment both for its students and employees, said a Focal Person on anti-sexual harassment of the university on Sunday.
Addressing a conference titled “Laws and Policies about Sexual Harassment” at NUMS PWD Campus organized by the Department of Psychology, Dr. Erum Monis said that the institution has a clearcut policy and would never show any leniency in this regard.
She said that the university gives organizes familiarization sessions on sexual harassment laws for all new students getting enrolled in different departments, to put their concerns at rest. Thus, they are enabled to fully concentrate on their education in a conducive environment.
NUMS zero-tolerance policy for protection of students, faculty
Dr. Erum said that the university has taken considerable steps towards adopting Higher Education Commission’s (HEC) Policy on Protection Against Sexual Harassment at Workplace. It had signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Mehergarh, a Non- Governmental Organization (NGO), in November to ensure anti-harassment laws.
University had a policy of zero tolerance for sexual harassment to fully protect both its students and faculty.
On the occasion, the Head of the Psychology Department Prof. Dr. Shazia Khalid said that unfortunately, people have a perception that sexual harassment is usually fabricated by the victim and it does not really exist in our society.
The young girls and boys who become victims of harassment experience emotional and psychological trauma in their lives.
She said that the victims develop a negative worldview and have inescapable difficulty in functioning socially. There is a dire need for awareness of the issue and relevant laws.
The young generations should be trained to face such situations bravely and reach out to appropriate forums.
