Peshawar BRT Joins Drive Against Harassment

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has taken measures to protect women from harassment while traveling in the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) in Peshawar.

In this regard, TransPeshawar and KP Ombudsperson’s office collaborated to organize an awareness campaign against harassment.

KP Transport minister, representatives of KP ombudsperson office and United Nations (UN) along with TransPeshawar officials are taking various steps to ensure the safety of women while traveling in BRT and to make it an exemplary service for the people.

The students and members of the civil society participated in the anti-harassment drive too.

As per TransPeshawar officials, the measure has been taken to sensitize people that harassment was a criminal offense and to provide a sense of protection to 40 percent of daily female commuters of BRT.

The BRT in Peshawar is used by around 150,000 women daily who face the challenge of harassment.

KP government has taken anti-harassment measures and legislation for this purpose has been done too.

The punishment includes three-year imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs 500,000.

As part of the awareness drive, pamphlets inscribed with penalties on charges of harassment have been pasted on different locations across BRT terminals.

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The message was disseminated in the drive that hurling remarks or staring at women would be deemed as harassment.

The people were urged to refrain from nefarious activity to prove themselves as civilized citizens.

The campaign emphasized the male commuters to abstain from occupying designated seats in the bus for women.

The assistance of media is also being taken to spread the message on different digital platforms to sensitize people to give the same respect to the women who step out of their homes for work likewise the women in their families.

The government officials have confirmed that the deputy commissioners (DCs) have received several harassment complaints. The women were reluctant to file a written complaint. Instead, they lodged them on the toll-free number of BRT.

The issue was also discussed in the Cheif Minister house during different meetings however  Instead,

Several female activists have also been made part of the anti-harassment drive to elucidate the victims about their rights and laws for their protection.