Students of Islamia College University held a rally against harassment yesterday. These young people demanded action against harassment on campus. Additionally, the students mentioned how aside from faculty members, male students also harass them on campus.
Taken aback by incidents of harassment on campus, students gathered at Ahmad Faraz Block and marched towards the Vice-Chancellor’s Office.
Today students of #IslamiaCollege have arranged a walk against harassment in their University. After amendment in 2010 to Article #509 of PPC #harassment in public/working space is legally proscribed & the offender can be punished up to 3 years imprisonment or fined Rs 500,000 pic.twitter.com/zYAAfqWjL6
— Sanna Ejaz(سیاله) (@sanaejaz2) November 11, 2020
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According to Dawn News, the students said that their male peers had passed inappropriate comments and blocked their way on the campus. Meanwhile, teachers harassed students under the pretexts of checking during examination papers and research projects.
“We would try our level best to expose the people involved in harassing students. We would work for scaling up awareness against the practice and enabling the girl students to continue their studies,”
This is a very serious issue. Female students of the historic Islamia College University Peshawar, joined by male students, protest against harassment in university (and other universities) by teachers, staff in the name of marks and position. Chancellor, govt, VCs must stop it. pic.twitter.com/POZBtKRBHM
— Jerry (@kyarakhoon) November 12, 2020
https://twitter.com/nafsiyyatikuty/status/1326654239897235458
They highlighted that the university’s anti-harassment committee formed to investigate harassment complaints was ineffective and demanded that a focal person be appointed for the task.
Jabir Khan of Law Department Islamian Fraternity led the protests. Matters escalated to a protest when the university did not address the students’ harassment complaints.
Today female students protested against teachers harassment at the very famous Islamia College, #Peshawar.
I consider this a new paradigm in Pashtun society, because this is the very first time that female stood for own-self in education institutions. pic.twitter.com/3Bf0inT7nG— Shafeeq Gigyani (@ShafeeqGigyani) November 11, 2020
Based on HEC’s ‘Policy Guidelines Against Sexual Harassment in Institutes of Higher Learning’, they must form three anti-harassment committees on campus in compliance with the ‘Protection Against Harassment of Women in the Workplace Act 2010‘. However, Islamia College University Peshawar is not listed among HEC recognized campuses.
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Students of other universities also participated in the protest to demand the formation of an anti-harassment committee in line with the law.
These young people are adamant to continue their campaign with seminars and walks.
