The Punjab government has initiated the process of expelling male professors and teachers from women’s universities within all the provinces in its effort to put down apparently rising incidents of harassment and increase student protection.
The Governor spoke of this and other reforms.
The governor, Sardar Saleem Haider, also told newsmen that severe punishments would hang on any harasser caught in an educational institution.
The governor further announced that changes would be made to the examination system itself to eliminate blackmail and harassment of female students in the preparation and checking of examination papers. He has directed the administration of the university to implement these.
Performance-Based Evaluation for University Staff
The governor added that performance certificates would be given to the vice-chancellors and professors, with rewards or otherwise being determined by performance.
Growing Figures of Harassment Cases and Litigation
This decision comes on the heels of an increase in harassment cases, the latest being the Lahore session courts summoning over 1,000 women who had filed harassment complaints. The Prosecution Department has concluded investigations into domestic violence and street harassment in several cases, and challans have been presented in the courts.
Concrete Measures for Women’s Protection
In response to the rising number of harassment incidents, the Punjab police have created a special department for dealing with cases of harassment exclusively. Furthermore, courts have also instituted special procedures to facilitate the swift hearing of such cases. Seven courts are fully dedicated in Lahore itself, to hear thousands of cases of women’s safety.