Shouldering the plight of women

ActionAid Pakistan initiates campaign to mark ‘16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence the World Over.’

ISLAMABAD: Showing solidarity with oppressed women the world over, ActionAid Pakistan initiated a campaign to highlight their issues. The effort is being made to mark the ‘16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence the World Over.’

To demonstrate its concern and commitment for the cause of women, ActionAid has launched various programmes all over Pakistan.

These include live radio shows on women-related issues living in far-off areas, theatre performances at district level to highlight the issue in a local context, larger people assemblies (Saths), seminars on socio-political and economic status of women, lobbying with the parliamentarians to vote for the bill on domestic violence and media campaigns.

Pakistan has been facing various social, political, economic and cultural conflicts that have had direct repercussions on women.

The international community has selected ‘Militarism and Violence against Women’ as a core theme for celebrating the 16 days of activism this year.

An official from the organisation, said, “Militarism breeds violence whereas women being the most marginalised, uneducated and unprotected segment suffer from its consequences.”

They face multitude of challenges like compromised social security. Their voice in decision making is unheard and their right to reproductive health is violated,” he added.

ActionAid has also linked up with the Alliance against Sexual Harassment in order to ensure early implementation of the sexual harassment bill in both public and private sectors.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 29^th, 2010.