The signing ceremony of the MoU was held at the FIA Lahore office between the representatives of the agency and the PCSW here on Monday. FIA Lahore Deputy Director e-Learning Center of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) and In-charge Cyber Awareness Programme Syed Shahid Hassan told Business Recorder that the motive behind signing this document was to enhance mutual cooperation between both the organisations in achieving their mutual goals and redressal of cyber harassment complaints registered through the PCSW helpline 1043 for the protection of women against cyber harassment.
He was of the opinion that this collaboration between the FIA and the PCSW may become an effective model for other provinces to follow the suit in addressing the cyber harassment of women and girls. About general parameters, he said they would work together to combat cyber harassment and address complaints filed by women on the PCSW's helpline and on the FIA's National Response Center for Cyber Crimes (NR3C) in the province.
Shahid said the complaints lodged with the PCSW would be referred to the FIA for the redressal and they will take up such complaints on urgent basis by devising a proper sharing mechanism with the PCSW regarding progress on the complaints.
In this context, he said it was agreed that the PCSW will employ staff members both male and female on their pay roll for assistance of the FIA on cyber harassment cases. As per the MoU, the exclusively dedicated team would work in offices of the FIA and the PCSW as well as in the field and will be posted as per their rules and regulations, he added.
"The team will exclusively perform their duties assigned by senior officials of the FIA and the PCSW regarding cyber harassment complaints," the deputy director said, adding the FIA would impart training to the dedicated staff members posted for the purpose to deal exclusively with cyber harassment complaints of women and girls.
He said the dedicated team will be responsible for raising awareness in the community and educational institutions regarding cyber harassment and redressal mechanisms, adding that consolidated data of the complaints would be maintained in both by the PCSW and the FIA. "Each complaint will be assigned a complaint number and hardcopy of each complaint file will also be prepared and maintained in both the offices."
According to the MoU, Syed Shahid said the FIA would maintain fortnightly and monthly report of work progress that would be shared with competent authorities of both institutions regularly, adding that further terms and conditions regarding job descriptions of new staff members, areas of work and cooperation between both the parties will be finalized. The deputy director said the validity of this MoU will be for one year which will be extended after consultation with the stakeholders.