A prominent Pakistani human rights activist, widely recognized for her work in advocating women’s rights and empowerment

As the first chairperson of the Punjab Commission on the Status of Women (2014-2019), she spearheaded significant policy and legislative reforms aimed at eliminating discrimination and violence against women, embedding gender equality into government processes. Currently serving as the Federal Ombudsperson for Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace, she brings her expertise in women’s rights to national leadership.

Viqar’s career spans both Pakistan and Canada, where she advised the Ontario Ministry of Community Safety on human rights. In Pakistan, she has collaborated with major governance, accountability, and inclusion programs, working with government bodies and international organizations, including the UN. A recognized educator, she has taught human rights and pro-women laws in various government academies and civil society organizations.

Among her notable contributions, she developed the Punjab Gender MIS, a specialized digital platform for gender-disaggregated data collection, essential for evidence-based policymaking. She has also pioneered initiatives like the Women in Leadership program, job portals for economic empowerment, and transitional housing for survivors of violence. Viqar has served on numerous boards in the non-profit, public, and corporate sectors, continuously advocating for women’s rights and leadership.

What inspired you to begin your work in women’s rights and human rights activism?

As far as I can remember, even as a child, I have felt and retaliated against injustice. If I was stopped from playing outside as a girl or when confronted with double standards for women and men at any other time, I used to question and often refuse to accept. I had similar issues with judging people differently based on their wealth and shunning people if they treated the rich with greater reverence, purely on the basis of their fortunes. It sometimes made me quite unpopular, but you are made that way and don’t need any other way to behave.

How did your experience at Shirkat Gah Women’s Resource Centre shape your approach to addressing issues like honourkillings and domestic violence?

My experience at Shirkat Gah brought me in touch with the grassroots on a daily basis, helping me understand the mindset and practice issues that necessitate advocacy for change. I worked on racism in Canada also, and that experience helped me connect issues of color, class and gender. This means that if you are rich, your experience as a woman will be vastly different from a poorer woman who will have other issues like denial of education and opportunities for growth. Domestic violence, however, cuts across classes. Both rich and poor women will likely experience domestic violence, but the shape or form that this violence takes may vary somewhat.

Can you share the process behind developing the gender management information system and the impact it had on policymaking?

Data tells the most compelling stories. People do not give much importance to testimonies of women coming from their lived experiences. They also often reject figures terming them unreliable when generated by NGOs. GMIS was developed to collect gender-disaggregated government or administrative data, which is collected on a more frequent basis than surveys and censuses. It was meant to convince the policymakers that outcomes for women were much worse than for men in terms of their economic and social empowerment. Fewer girls stay in schools, more girls drop out of or never go to school, only 3% of women own houses, and less than 15% have an account in any financial institution. GMIS helped convince people that the Constitutional commitment to gender equality was not being upheld. It created an urgency in terms of taking steps that will help achieve better results for women and girls.

What was your proudest achievement during your tenure at the Punjab Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) ?

I look back with great satisfaction at all the steps we took for women and girls. The Punjab Women’s Helpline became a source of rapid redress for women complaining of discrimination or violence; the women’s leadership program provided an efficient model for promoting women’s leadership in the government and in non-government sectors; the identification and training of over 29000 Nikah Registrars and local government officials was an exciting opportunity to secure women’s rights through the Nikah Nama and its registration; the transitional homes project provided insights into the possibility and success of public-private partnership for support to women victims of domestic violence and the economic and social well-being survey gave information on women’s conditions in so many areas that we had so far not explored, including women’s decision making and male perception of how women are doing and how they should behave.

What key changes would you recommend to improve Pakistan’s policies towards women’s rights and equality?

Pakistan has adequate and comprehensive laws and policies for women’s rights and equality. We need to focus on implementation, which is the biggest challenge to achieving these objectives. Better monitoring of how laws and policies are being implemented is necessary to understand whether maternity leave is being given, whether women’s washrooms and daycare facilities are available, whether women are being inducted against at least the minimum quota of 15%, and whether women are also present in leadership positions. For example, the Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010, and the Enforcement of Women’s Property Rights Act, 2020, both of which fall under the ambitof the Federal Ombudsperson Secretariat for Protection Against Harassment (FOSPAH) are key laws designed to safeguard women’s rights. The former aims to create a safe working environment free of harassment, while the latter ensures women can claim their inheritance rights without undue interference. Despite the existence of these laws, a significant portion of the population remains unaware of their rights and protections. Many women, especially in rural areas, do not know how to access legal recourse if they face workplace harassment or if their inheritance rights are denied. This is where FOSPAH steps in. FOSPAH is actively working to ensure that both these laws are not only implemented but also accessible to everyone. By handling workplace harassment complaints and property rights issues of women in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), conducting awareness campaigns, and working closely with organizations across Pakistan, we are trying to create safer work environments for women.

What are your immediate priorities as the Federal Ombudsperson for Protection against Harassment at Workplace?

My priority in this position is to strengthen efficiency and transparency in the organisation.  To achieve this objective, the team and the processes are being institutionalised to ensure  SOPs and policies are being followed in letter and spirit. For this, we need digitization of our work so that end-to-end accountability is possible. Creating awareness of the issue of harassment and denial of property rights of women is a very big priority. It is my mission to make sure that every woman knows she has legal protection and that she can seek justice without fear. Women need to be aware that they have the right to report discrimination and harassment without hesitation. They should know they can call the Federal Ombudsperson for Protection against Harassment at Workplace at 03444367367and get their right to inheritance and other property, which is denied by families and others. The law is there to protect them, and FOSPAH is here to ensure these laws are upheld.

How do you envision the role of this office in fostering safer workplaces for women across Pakistan?

FOSPAH plays an important role in creating nationwide awareness, effective monitoring of compliance with the laws on harassment and on property rights of women, a gender-sensitive environment for reporting violations of rights, and enabling women to speak up. Through these efforts, we aim to create safer, more inclusive workplaces where women feel empowered, respected, and protected. A key component of this mission is ensuring that every organization has a functioning internal inquiry committee, as mandated by law. These committees are crucial for addressing workplace harassment issues, protecting employees, and providing a safe space for grievances to be heard. FOSPAH regularly monitors organizations across Pakistan to ensure they comply with the code of conduct. We check if internal committees are established, if they are functioning effectively, and if the organizations are following through on their legal obligations. By holding organizations accountable and promoting a culture of responsibility, we are working to create long-lasting systemic change that prioritizes the safety and dignity of all employees, especially women.

What advice would you give to young activists and advocates striving to make a difference in women’s rights?

Stay the course and focus on the one person whose life you helped make easier. Human rights works can sometimes become frustrating but it must go on.

Looking forward, what are the areas of advocacy or reform that you would like to focus on in the next few years?

Increased women’s representation and leadership and better rights for women in marriage as well as after divorce. In Pakistan, there are no repercussions for men if they want to divorce a woman, even after a long marriage. I would like to work on reforms in the laws and practices to provide better protection in family laws. We also need to see many more women transitioning from education to employment that is dignified and not exploitative. Too many women are working under exploitative conditions, in non-formal and vulnerable employment. This needs to change through a better policy framework as well as mindset changes that will encourage women to get into formal employment. Ending harassment in public places and workplaces is an important strategy for achieving this goal.