A recent seminar organized by the FOSPAH Regional Office in Karachi highlighted the harmful impact of dismissing women’s voices as merely emotional, stressing that such attitudes are a form of control rather than constructive critique. The event, led by Assistant Registrar Sidra Bhoja and Assistant Law Officer Muhammad Aliyan, brought together law students and graduates from several institutions, including Denning Law School, Hamdard University, SZABUL, Sindh University, and SM Law College.
Participants explored the ways emotional stereotyping is used to silence women, undermining their contributions and perpetuating workplace inequality. The seminar focused on the key provisions of the Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010, which protects women’s right to be heard, respected, and treated equally at work.
Speakers emphasized that genuine workplace equality cannot be realized until women are free from prejudices that are often disguised as feedback. The session called for a shift in mindset and culture, urging workplaces to recognize and address the subtle forms of bias that hinder women’s progress and silence their voices.
