Fired for becoming a mother: How one woman’s fight redefined Pakistan's maternity rights

When Zainab Zahra Awan welcomed her first child, she expected those days to be filled with joy and new beginnings. Instead, they became a source of deep emotional pain.

“The days I should have spent making memories with my newborn were overshadowed by mental agony,” she recalled. “I received a termination letter while I was still on maternity leave, for no fault other than becoming a mother.”

Zainab, who had been working at a private technology firm in Islamabad, said she received the letter just one month after giving birth, while she was still entitled to three months of maternity leave. Later, she learned that her position had been filled by a contract employee she had personally trained.

Her dismissal came at a time when her life was already full of challenges. “We are four sisters,” she told Nukta. “After my father died in 2018, we managed everything ourselves, giving tuitions, doing part-time jobs, completing our studies, and supporting our household.”

Even after marriage, Zainab continued to help her widowed mother, who lives in a rented home, and pay for her younger sister’s education. “There were so many responsibilities. Looking for another job at that time was impossible,” she said.

The experience left her emotionally shattered, but not defeated. “I decided to fight back, not just for myself but for thousands of women who stay silent even when the law is on their side.”

With the support of her family and the Federal Ombudsperson for Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace (FOSPAH), Zainab filed a complaint against her employer, Embrace IT.

On October 20, 2025, the Ombudsperson ruled in her favor in what has become a landmark decision for working women in Pakistan. The ruling declared that Embrace IT’s action amounted to gender-based discrimination and violated Zainab’s constitutional rights.

The company was fined PKR 1 million (around USD 3,600), with PKR 800,000 awarded to Zainab as compensation. It was also ordered to reinstate her until a lawful termination process is completed.

The Ombudsperson further directed the company to draft a comprehensive maternity policy to prevent future discrimination.

Citing Articles 14, 25, 35, and 37 of Pakistan’s Constitution, which guarantee dignity, equality, and protection of motherhood, and international conventions such as CEDAW, the ruling underscored that firing a woman during maternity leave constitutes sex discrimination and violates Pakistan’s commitments to workplace equality.

Fauzia Viqar, the Federal Ombudsperson, told Nukta that many women have reached out to her office since the verdict to share similar experiences.

“There are several factors behind such cases,” she said. “Sometimes women are unaware of their legal rights; sometimes employers take advantage of that lack of awareness. In many cases, social norms and family pressures also prevent women from pursuing legal action.”

She emphasized that maternity leave is the legal right of every working woman in Pakistan. “If any organization violates that right,” she warned, “they will face legal consequences, including fines, reinstatement orders, and compensation payments, along with directives to improve workplace policies to ensure compliance.”