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The Federal Omb¬u¬d¬¬sperson for Protection against Har¬assment of Women at the Workplace (FOSPAH) has recently ruled on the matter of terminating a woman from her workplace while she is on maternity leave. The FOSPAH declared a hefty fine of Rs1 million on any private firm caught doing so, marking a significant and appreciable step towards progress for women’s protection in the workplace.
The Ombudsperson has now declared that any firm terminating a woman during her maternity leave will be liable for gender-based discrimination, which is clearly a push against our regressive cultural norms that shackle women to their place inside homes. It is an affirmation that safe motherhood is a fundamental right, instead of an inconvenience that a company has to tolerate.
For years, women have faced this deeply unfair, invisible choice: career or motherhood. It is a ridiculous ultimatum that men never have to consider. The moment a woman decides to start a family, her job suddenly feels tenuous, her loyalty questioned and her career momentum often stalls.
This news should make every employer, HR professional and worker stop and think about what ‘protection’ really means in a workplace context. Quite often, women’s protection is often stowed away between formal policies in handbooks that workers rarely bother to read. It is incumbent on a firm to understand that protection refers to the day-to-day reality of ensuring that women are not forced to choose between motherhood and a career.
But the fight for protection merely begins here. Employers must embed the principle of clear maternity policies, anti-discrimination trainings and workplace cultures, alongside transparent plans regarding mothers returning to work. The government must monitor these policies and ensure just and fair application. Women should be able to enter, thrive and transition through career and motherhood without fear of penalties.
