Attitudes and Perceptions of Medical Students Regarding Work Place Harassment Act: An Interpretive Paradigm
IQRA RASS, IRAM RUBAB, USMAN JAVED IQBAL, NASIR IQBAL
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Abstract
Background: Harassment at workplace is
a worldwide phenomenon and remains a major threat to the work performance of
the workers. In this regard, Government of Pakistan introduced “The Protection
against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act 2010”.
Objective: This study explores the attitudes
and perceptions of medical students about the effectiveness of this act within
the university environment.
Methodology: The study is qualitative in
nature and follows interpretive paradigm. In-depth interviews were conducted with
twenty male and female students from two universities (one from private sector
and one from government sector). Thematic analysis was carried out to analyze
data.
Results: The
results reflected that the majority of students were unaware of the
legislation. It is found that the universities have generally failed to play a
constructive role in raising awareness among the students about this harassment
act.
Conclusion: Harassment
committees were found to be ineffective. It is recommended that universities
should not only increase awareness among the students through various steps but
also implement this harassment act 2010 in letter and spirit to make it more
effective.
Keywords: Harassment Act 2010, Gender Justice, Women
Empowerment, Work place Harassment