Firing women during maternity leave declared gender discrimination

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Ombudsman for Anti-Harassment (FOSPAH) has issued a landmark verdict reinforcing women’s workplace rights, ruling that terminating a woman’s employment during maternity leave constitutes gender discrimination.

The decision came in response to a petition filed by Zainab Zahra Awan, who was dismissed by a private company while on maternity leave.

In her ruling, Federal Ombudsman Fawzia Waqar declared the company’s action unlawful and discriminatory, directing that Awan be reinstated to her position and the dismissal order declared null and void.

FOSPAH also imposed a fine of Rs 1 million on the company — ordering Rs 800,000 to be paid to the victim as compensation and Rs 200,000 to be deposited in the national treasury.

Ombudsman Waqar emphasized that “becoming a mother should never be an obstacle to a woman’s career,” adding that safe maternity and job security are fundamental rights of all women.

The decision is being hailed as a landmark step toward strengthening workplace protections and holding employers accountable for upholding women’s legal and ethical rights during maternity periods.