KARACHI: Women’s Rights took center stage as Standard Chartered Pakistan hosted the Legal Aid Society (LAS) for a legal awareness session aimed at educating employees about legal protections, access to justice and support services available to women across Pakistan.

The session welcomed employees from across the bank, including permanent, support and contractual staff, reflecting Standard Chartered’s commitment to extending awareness throughout its wider workforce. The initiative sought to equip participants with practical knowledge about their legal rights while promoting empowerment, inclusion and greater economic participation.

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Participants explored a range of legal topics affecting women, including inheritance rights, the Nikahnama, cyber safety, online harassment, gender-based violence laws and legal aid services. The programme also introduced attendees to support platforms such as the Sindh Legal Advisory Call Center (SLACC) and NAZ Assist, Pakistan’s free multilingual legal advisory chatbot.

Barrister Haya Emaan Zahid, Chief Executive Officer of the Legal Aid Society, and Advocate Farah Khan, Strategic Litigation Lead at LAS, led the discussions. They highlighted the importance of legal awareness, access to justice and stronger public understanding of the rights and protections available to women. Representatives from the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) and Jazz also attended the session, expanding the dialogue on women’s empowerment and workplace inclusion.

Yasir Khwaja, Head of Human Resources at Standard Chartered Pakistan, said knowledge empowers individuals and enables meaningful change. He added that the bank remains committed to creating learning opportunities that help employees understand issues affecting their lives and communities while fostering a more inclusive workplace.

Haya Emaan Zahid said legal awareness empowers people to make informed decisions and strengthens access to justice. She welcomed the partnership with Standard Chartered and said such initiatives encourage important conversations about challenges faced by women across Pakistan.

The awareness programme forms part of Standard Chartered Pakistan’s broader Diversity and Inclusion strategy, which focuses on building an inclusive workplace where every employee feels valued and supported. The bank continues to promote learning, dialogue and awareness through initiatives that contribute to stronger workplaces and more equitable communities.