16 days of activism: UN campaign to eliminate gender-based violence launched

This year’s motto focuses on making education accessible to all girls

PESHAWAR: The UN, in collaboration with social welfare organisations and activists, was launched 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. It is an annual campaign held in K-P and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata). The campaign was inaugurated on Monday where government officials, civil society members and academics discussed gender-based violence and education opportunities for girls. The news conference was held at Peshawar Press Club.

Theme of this year’s campaign is, ‘From peace at home to peace in the world, lets make girls education accessible to all’. The actual campaigning will begin on November 25 and will continue till December 10.

Dr Basharat Hussain, chairman for department of social work at University of Peshawar (UoP), said even in current times, parents prioritise their male borns.



“They do not provide the same opportunities to their girl child,” he added. “Parents want their sons to marry educated girls but they do not educate their own daughters,” Hussain pointed out.

One of the participants at the press conference said despite millions of dollars being spent on funding education for girls, Pakistan still has not been able to eliminate gender-based violence. Quoting data provided by UNESCO, the participant said 5.5 million children are still out of school. Of those children, 60% are girls. Pakistan remains one of the leading countries for out of school children.

The plan for 16 days of activism campaign includes several awareness walks, radio shows, panel discussions, theatre performances and social media activism. Dr Anoosh Khan, chairperson for department of gender studies at UoP said almost everyone has access to social media these days so it can play an important role in the elimination of violence against women, provided the tool is used effectively.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 24^th,  2015.