Violence against women: Global movement kicks off with shoe memorial ceremony

During the campaign, the organisers will spread awareness about women’s victimisation.

ISLAMABAD:

The global movement for 16 days of activism for elimination of violence against women was launched on Friday with a shoe memorial ceremony at the F-9 Park. The campaign will be spearheaded by change agents in 36 districts.

Homage was paid to 50 million women missing from South Asia on the premises of a restaurant at the memorial service and one-minute silence was observed, followed by a candlelight vigil. The event was part of the “We Can” campaign to end violence against women. Women parliamentarians, who were also invited to be a part of the ceremony, could not make it.

We Can national coordinator Hajera Pasha said, “Each pair of shoes represent a women who lost her life due to violence. “This is because of the absence of legislation or non-implementation of laws meant to empower women.”



We Can Programme Officer Ahmad Saffee said the 50 million missing women include babies aborted due to their sex, women buried alive in the name of honour, tortured to death by in-laws or dying because of unavailability of healthcare.

In Pakistan, over the last two years, an increase of 31% was reported in crimes against women, according to a Free and Fair Election Network report.

We Can programme support associate Malik Haroon said shoes were collected through a one-month campaign on social media. “Surprisingly, people from all walks of life dropped off pairs of shoes at our office to participate in the campaign and we collected over 500 pairs.”

The shoes will be distributed to needy women.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 1^st, 2012.