By: Shehneela Mazhar
PUAN, the Pakistan-U.S. Alumni Network, held a refresher training for its anti-harassment honorary counselors yesterday. The training, which was held virtually, was attended by 28 counselors from across Pakistan.
The training was opened by Mr. Kelly Ryan, Public Diplomacy Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad. In his remarks, Mr. Ryan commended the work of the anti-harassment counselors and said that their commitment to upholding the values of equality and dignity is essential to PUAN’s mission. He also said that PUAN’s model of anti-harassment training is a best practice for other alumni communities and organizations around the world.
The training was moderated by Rashida Qureshi, Anti-harassment Honorary Counselor for the North Punjab Chapter. The expert panel for the session included:
- Usama Khilji, YES alumnus, columnist, and digital rights activist
- Dr. Saad Islam, Fulbright Scholar and cyber security expert
- Barrister Ayesha Siddique, SUSI alumna and human rights advocate
The panelists shared their expertise on a range of topics related to anti-harassment, including the law, policy, and culture. They also discussed the challenges of addressing harassment in Pakistan and offered strategies for overcoming those challenges.
The training was a valuable opportunity for the anti-harassment counselors to learn from experts and to network with other counselors from across Pakistan. It will help them to be more effective in their work of creating a safe and inclusive environment for PUAN members.
Thank you to all the participants and panelists for sharing their wisdom and knowledge!
