Showing posts with label Violence. Show all posts

Stop it !


 


Stop violence against women.. 


Language may differ  but the message is very clear " Stop violence against women".

This message spreading widely through a campaign. The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign is a global campaign dedicated to ending gender-based violence. It runs each year from November 25th: International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, to December 10th: Human Rights Day. Coordinated by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership, the Campaign has seen over 4,100 organizations in 172 countries participate since 1991.

The 16 Days Campaign is dedicated to:

Raising awareness about gender-based violence as a human rights issue; Strengthening local work around violence against women; Providing a forum to develop and share strategies; Demonstrating the solidarity of activists around the world; and Calling governments to account, respond, protect, and prevent violence against women.

A very much needed campaign for my country where we really need to aware our women about their rights and a need to change in our society about their abnormal behaviors towards a very important part of their society Women. As we all know its a very slow process but I strongly believe that with continuous efforts we can bring the change... a big positive change.


In 2011 Violence against women in Pakistan has been increased 6.74 per cent as compared to 2010.


A newly issued report of Aurat Foundation (AF) a leading women’s rights organization. Says that , “8539 different incidents of violence occurred against women in different parts of Pakistan which shows 6.74 per cent increase in violence against women in 2011 as compared to 2010.”

The report says the number of violence against women remained high in Punjab where 6188 cases of violence against women have been registered, 1316 in Sindh, 694 in Kyber Pakhtunkhowa (KPK) and 193 in Balochistan. “322 women were killed in the name of honour in Punjab, 266 in Sindh, 86 in Balochistan and 30 cases were surfaced  in KPK in 2011” the report added. According to the report the number of reported cases of rape and gang rape are 827 and 734 have been reported in Punjab. for more click here

In Pakistan the total population is 180million, amongst which women make 51% of the whole population. There have been 2nd class citizenship given to women. The laws against domestic violence is not executed at all. In the year 2011 more than 8,000 cases of offenses against women were reported in media. The unreported are still beneath the attention of laws.

At any day, pick a news paper, you will find a report about violence of any kind against women.

What are the forms of violence against women?  

In Pakistan, in addition to the obvious brutalities to victimize females such as the physical and psychological violence, gross injustice like lack of independence to women in their personal choices and the absence of fair opportunities in life  exists as well.   In most cases, society and culture work hand in hand against the common Pakistani woman. Below are some examples:

2. Pakistani women denied right to work late.

  • This all happens in our society because we live in a society where  men were and are still considered to be the bread-winner.
  • Parents pampering the boy child and discriminating the girl child which gives a superiority complex to most typical males in our society.
  • Illiteracy and extremism is a big cause.
  • Forced marriages are still a form of torture prevalent throughout the country.  

 The United Nations estimates that nearly 70 per cent of women in the world suffer from some form of violence during their lifetime; in Pakistan perhaps the percentage is even higher. for more click here. The bottom line is violence prevails because we allow  it to.

The time has come that we should take a stand and try to stop all kinds of violence against women in our own households and the women who work outside their homes.

Watch this video..... think!!!!
 I hope you will do your part and will rise at least your voice against the Violence. you can register your voice by commenting on this blog.....Speak up!!!!!



You may also like to read :
 
Harrasment of Women at work place

Who killed Farida Afridi

Land of Burnt Faces

See what students think about Violence against women  click here





 



Harassment at workplace




 


Bigger than any issue, Sexual Harassment of women at workplace is the most common issue around the globe. without any restriction of race, religion, country or society women around the world facing the issue at all levels, either she is working in a office or in a field, the problem is same.
Harassment at work place



What is a sexual harassment? 

 

According to Wikipedia Sexual harassment is intimidation, bullying or coercion of a sexual nature, or the unwelcome or inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favors In most modern legal contexts sexual harassment is illegal. As defined by EEOC, "It is unlawful to harass a person (an applicant or employee) because of that person’s sex. Although it applies on both women and men but unfortunately in this men's world women suffer in a large number. ABC News/Washington Post poll finds that One in four U.S women has experienced workplace sexual harassment, now come to home sweet home,
In Pakistan harassment at the workplace is, to date, not recognized as a punishable offense, 

don't know how long we should wait to get the recognition like so many other issues. Because of this many women do not get as much support as they should get, in fact a complaint can create even more problems for the woman  being harassed. I know a couple of NGOs who work for the said issue one is Bedari  and the second is Aasha an umbrella group of six NGOs formed in 2001, assisted in drafting a code of conduct for the workplace, which has served as the foundation of the anti-harassment bill. Data on the number of women affected by harassment is hard to come by since there is no law under which cases can be registered.
Ambreen Ajaib who has been working as a  psychologist with Bedari said I see about 50 to 70 women per year. Now the question is why these women need to see a psychologist, the answer is because the sexual harassment of women at workplace effects them and have very serious consequences.

Maheen Usmani, who used to work at Dunya TV, says she faced even more problems after she filed a complaint against the channel's managing director, Yousaf Mirza Baig. "He would call me late at night, stare me down during meetings and eventually he started cutting out TV reports that I had worked on." In what eventually became a famous case, Usmani says she was barred from entering her own office and later heard defamatory rumours about herself. 

There are so many women around us in real life who suffered or still facing the situation, I was also a victim of harassment at work place, and I cannot forget the stress, indirect pressure and unpleasant working conditions, and I could not got any help due to lack of awareness about the issue.


Effects of sexual harassment:


According to Advocate for human Rights,  Sexual harassment at work can have very serious consequences both for the harassed individual as well as for other working women who experience it secondhand.
The consequences to the individual employee can be many and serious.  In some situations, a harassed woman risks losing her job or the chance for a promotion if she refuses to give in to the sexual demands of someone in authority.  In other situations, the unwelcome sexual conduct of co-workers makes the working conditions hostile and unpleasant- putting indirect pressure on her to leave the job.  Sometimes, the employee is so traumatized by the harassment that she suffers serious emotional and physical consequences—and very often, becomes unable to perform her job properly.

According to data complied by Equal Rights Advocates, a women’s law center in the U.S., 90 to 95% of sexually harassed women suffer from some debilitating stress reaction, including anxiety, depression, headaches, sleep disorders, weight loss or gain, nausea, lowered self-esteem. The effect on the morale of all employees can also be serious.  Both men and women in a workplace can find their work disrupted by sexual harassment even if they are not directly involved.  Sexual harassment can have a demoralizing effect on everyone within range of it, and it often negatively impacts company productivity on the whole. 

Despite the fact that due to great Red tape we are not able a get a  right time for having a law for the said issue we still hope and looking forward to an  Anti Harassment bill and of course  the implementation of the bill, which  is the most important part. 

Your views will be welcome openly about the issue,  do write.....







 







Who Killed Farida Afridi?


Farida2
Farida Afridi,   Co- founder of Women's Group in Pakistan




  Who Killed Farida Afridi?:(


The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has condemned the killing of Farida Afridi, a social worker. 

In a meeting held on Thursday, HRCP said:
“It is a matter of grave concern that the risks facing human rights defenders and those working to ameliorate the lot of marginalised segments remain very high across the country. HRCP is utterly shocked at the targeted killing of Farida Afridi, whose only crime was working for the uplift of women in an area where they need such help the most.

Farida, together with her sister, Noorzia Afridi, co-founded SAWERA. At a young age, the sisters chose to devote their lives to promoting women's empowerment and peace in the tribal regions of Pakistan. Despite this, that we should help them or praise them, our society do no give them the right to stay alive.

Our hearts go out to Noorzia and their parents, family and friends. We hope they get at least some comfort in knowing that Farida has already helped many, in her short life.


 This incident once again highlight the level of brutalisation that Pakistani society has reached.

To read more about Afridi Sisters please click here.





 Mohammad Ali Jinnah, 1944 - 'Founding Father' of Pakistan said;

 No nation can rise to the height of glory unless your women are side by side with you; we are victims of evil customs. It is a crime against humanity that our women are shut up within the four walls of the houses as prisoners. There is no sanction anywhere for the deplorable condition in which our women have to live."








About Author

Fahmina Arshad is Blogger, Social Media Activist, Women Rights activist, women rights defender, feminist, women issues advisor and ambitious to work for Women Growth in Pakistan.

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