Promising start: Men, women come together to fight gender inequality

Festival concludes with session titled ‘Hear Reflections of the Day and Make Your Voice Heard’

KARACHI:

The first Women of the World (WOW) Festival in Karachi saw women and men come together to join the struggle against gender injustice.

WOW founder Jude Kelly appreciated the role of men in attending the event and showing interest in topics such as sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment. She was moderating the closing session of the festival, titled ‘Hear Reflections of the Day and Make Your Voice Heard,’ at Beach Luxury Hotel on Sunday.

Reiterating Kelly’s observation on the participation of men, Women Action Forum founder Nighat Said remarked that every person who attended the festival has learned something new, especially men.

These men are likely to better understand the problems of their wives and daughters, and treat them with respect.



Speaking about the significance of such events, Said remarked that the problems of women cannot be resolved in one day.

The people and their problems are diverse, events like these are needed to change mindsets, she added.

I remember when I was four-years-old, my mother would take me along to buy groceries. “I was kind of an escort for my mother, but didn’t know that at that age who was escorting whom,” said actor and director Sarmad Khoosat sharing an anecdote.

We have picked up the right feel for the festival and need to polish it further, he said and appreciated Kelly for organising such an event and bringing it to Karachi.

British-Pakistani standup comedian and journalist Shaista Aziz remembered Karachi and its women as creative, energetic, committed and diverse. “It is good to observe that people do not shy away from speaking on topics such as body shaming, rape and reproductive rights,” she said, adding that Pakistan is full of talented people.

Aside from discussing depressing realities of people, inspirational sessions should also be held to motivate young girls, said Said.

British Council representative Robin Davies said that the festival succeeded in changing his perception to a considerable degree within a span of six hours.

“When I entered the festival this morning I thought I knew about all the problems of women. But coming here and meeting women from rural areas, I realised, how far away from reality we men really are,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 3^rd, 2016.