Day: November 26, 2008

ISLAMABAD: Nomad Gallery on Tuesday organised a painting exhibition at the launch of a 26 days long campaign against gender violence.

Women activist and poetess Kishwar Naheed inaugurated the exhibition, titled 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence.

United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) has collaborated with Nomad Gallery for the holding of the exhibition where works of Khuda Bux Abro and Dr Altamash Kamal was displayed.

Posters and calendars related to violence against women were also put on display there.

Kishwar Naheed condemned violence against women and called for better public awareness of women rights.

She read out her poem highlighting the misery of women recently buried alive in Balochistan.

UNIFEM-Pakistan Country Director Alice Shaklford said the UN recognised the services of women living and working in rural and suburban areas of Pakistan and would work for their rights.

Nomad Gallery Director Nageen Hayat said Abro’s colours were reminiscent of a flame.

“His blue shades are cold yet meant to provoke a spark. His orange hues are not bright, but shocking just like a flame,” she said. She said Abro’s paintings had all the drama, mystery and intense content that could make one sit up for a watchful gaze.

A look at Kamal’s portrait photographic works shows that the artist has portrayed social issues facing womenfolk and social attitudes towards them in society effectively with a passion. Kamal chose to photograph people in their own private spaces.

Hence, the location or ambience in which his subjects were shot captured the essence of their lives, even though the concentration was solely on the face.

Khuda Bux Abro’s works depicted a complete humane aspect of a woman in such a manner that woman comes across as the nurturing spirit that she is, and not just as a victim of circumstances.

The women painted by the artists are breathing, full-fledged, complete, human beings and not merely props in his grand designs. Abro’s works were about woman — not the woman who inspires a brush with beauty, but the woman who has yet to revolt against societal injustices.
Source: Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Acting President Dr Fehmida Mirza has said that no society could progress without women participation in all walks of life, adding that existence of violence against women in any society was a big barrier to development.

She expressed these views on the occasion of launching the signing of campaign card of “Say no to violence against women” organized by United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) to commemorate the International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women at Aiwan-e-Sadar here Tuesday.

The acting president said that violence against women and harassment at work place was one major issue that perturb many the world over. She said that the new democratic government in Pakistan was committed to women empowerment and protection of women’s rights and was making legislation to protect women from domestic violence and harassment at workplace.

She said that November 25 holds a special significance for women around the globe since it is dedicated to the memory of three sisters of the Dominican Republic, who opposed a dictator and sacrificed their lives. She said that the heroic tale of the three sisters has a sticking similarity to the gallant struggle of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto who lived for her people and laid her life for their freedom and emancipation. She said that Benazir Income support Programme was also important for the empowerment of women in the rural areas.

Fehmida said that the creation of Women’s Parliamentary Caucus with an objective to protect rights and status of Pakistani women, is a milestone in the history of women rights in Pakistan. She said that through this Caucus, 76 women MNAs would endeavour to protect women rights and make their voice heard louder and clear in the corridors of power.

The acting president said that as the patron of the Women Parliamentary Caucus, I feel the tremendous responsibility to seek a just and secure environment for the women of Pakistan, enabling them to contribute to their fullest for the development and progress of the country. She said that for this noble cause, I seek cooperation of all segments of the society to work jointly and make Pakistan a great nation.

Speaking on the occasion, Country Programme Director of the UNIFEM, Alice Harding Shackelford said that women issues in Pakistan needed greater attention. She lauded the policies initiated by the government for the protection of women rights and women empowerment in Pakistan. Appreciating the formation of Women Parliamentary caucus, she said that the UNIFEM looked forward to the Women Caucus of the Parliament and the government initiatives for elimination of violence against women and their empowerment. UNIFEM also looks forward for a long and successful collaboration with government and NGOs, she added.

Earlier, the acting president signed the UNIFEM card “Saying No to Violence against Women” and launched the 16-days campaign organized by UNIFEM to commemorate the International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women.

The card signing ceremony was attended by senators and MNAs at the President House.

Faisal Karim Kundi, Acting Speaker National Assembly, Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Senator Raza Rabbani, Farzana Raja, Sardar Israr Tareen, Rukhsana Bungash, Nuzhat Sadiq also signed the UNIFEM cards.
Source: Business Recorder
Date:11/26/2008

ISLAMABAD: The Senate standing committee on women development, which visited the Government Polytechnic Institute for Women here on Tuesday, called for urgent steps to promote skill development among women with a view to enhancing their economic empowerment and creation of better job opportunities for women in the country.

The committee especially called for establishing linkage with organisations like NAVTEC to organise short-term skill development courses for unemployed female youth. It also underscored the need of establishing more industrial homes, particularly in Sindh and Southern Punjab, to cater for the needs of the female population in those areas, says a press release here.

The committee urged the government to look into the possibility of launching micro-credit schemes and soft loans for rural women so that they may be able to set up their own small business ventures.

“Income generation activities for average housewives must take a high priority in the schemes and programmes being initiated for women all over the country, the committee added.Taking stock of the scanty prospects of promotion for the teachers at the institute, the committee recommended that they may be given promotion into the next higher grade after ten years service.

It said without dedicated and motivated teachers, the institute would not be able to deliver and achieve the objectives it aimed at achieving.“Career planning for leaders and better avenues of promotion must be given due consideration to enhance the motivational level of teachers.”

Matters like grant of teaching allowance to teachers and regularisation of service of contractual employees also figured in the meeting.Senator Rukhsana Zuberi, a member of the committee, held the view that solar and bio-gas are the two areas which hold great promise for future.

Therefore, the students be given training in these technologies too. The chairperson of the Committee, Senator Mrs Tahira Latif, also constituted a sub-committee, headed by Senator Rukhsana Zuberi, to look into the problems being faced by the institute and to suggest practical answers. It included senators Jamal Khan Leghari, Bibi Yasmeen Shah, Sabina Rauf and Semeen Siddiqui as members.

Earlier, the committee was informed that the main functions of the institute are to provide mid-level professional education in specific fields to women, enable them in self-employment and utilise the capabilities of 50 per cent of population, i.e., women in the development activities and contribute to the economic productivity of women by imparting suitable short- and long-term training courses.

The meeting was attended, apart from chairperson of the committee, Senator Tahira Latif, by senators Bibi Yasmeen Shah, Semeen Siddiqui, Sardar Muhammad Jamal Khan Laghari, Fauzia Fakhruzzaman, Rukhsana Zuberi, Nawab Muhammad Ayaz Khan Jogezai and Sabina Rauf.
Source: The News
Date:11/26/2008

Karachi: Women organisations brought about a procession from Regal Chowk, Saddar on Tuesday afternoon on the occasion of ‘International Day for Elimination of Violence against women’ and shouted slogans for abolition of the Jirga system and the so-called honour killings. The procession terminated at the Karachi Press Club.

The procession was led by several non-government organisations (NGOs), including Aurat Foundation, Women’s Action Forum, Women’s Welfare Development Organisation, Helpline Trust, and Pakistan Fisherfolk’s Forum. “We demand that all anti-women laws and traditions should be brought to an end, including the Jirga system,” said Anees Haroon, Executive Director, Aurat Foundation, and a leading peace activist.

Banners and placards portrayed the problems faced by womenfolk in Pakistan and their struggle against an authoritarian and medieval system that treats women as second-class citizens and abhors women’s emancipation. Inscribed on these banners and placards were various demands such as, ‘Stop violence against women’, ‘Abolish Jirga system’, ‘Till when will religious parties keep mum on killing of women?’, ‘Ensure special transport for women’, ‘Honour killing is against the law’, ‘Where are the killers of women who were buried alive in Balochistan?’, ‘Ensure rights to working women’, ‘Stop trafficking in women’, ‘Israrullah Zehri and Hazar Khan Bijarani who support Karo-Kari are not our representatives,’ etc.

A press release issued on the occasion said the Aurat Foundation and Women’s Action Forum (WAF),along with other civil society organisations show their ‘disgust and repugnance’ over the increasing and intensive cases of violence against women in the country. “Today’s rally comprises women from different walks of life, from the Interior of Sindh to the Punjab, and rejects Jirgas as a parallel system of justice,” it added.

“We condemn the rampant violence against women at every level, be it societal, political, or domestic. Despite the awareness-raising campaigns by the women’s organisations and the media, there seems to be no relief. From January to September 2008 there were 190 cases of honour killing, 103 of domestic violence, 71 of rape and 50 of gang rape in Sindh,” it said.

“Horrific incident of burying five women alive in the name of honour in Jafferabad is also shameful example of abuse. The main accused are still at large. However, the Senator who defended this barbarism has been appointed federal minister,” it regretted.

“Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani as Minister for Education is a source of shame, since he has been involved in a Jirga to give five minor girls in marriage to the victim’s family to settle a murder case in a traditional practice known as Sang Chatti. The Supreme Court ordered arrest of MNA Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani and 11 others in August 2007,” the press release said.

Meanwhile, Zia Ahmed Awan, Advocate of Madadgaar, an NGO, addressed a news conference on the occasion on Tuesday and said during nine years in Karachi 10,041 cases of violence against women were reported, wherein most cases, the victim’s close relatives such as husband, brother, father and brother-in-law were the perpetrators. He said 452 women were falsely accused and arrested, 697 women were brutally murdered, and 241 were goaded into committing suicide. Besides, 674 women were cruelly burnt alive, 310 were kidnapped for various reasons, 102 were arrested under the provisions of the Hudood Ordinance, 374 women were subjected to police harassment, 85 were declared Kari to secure the honour of their men, 165 were accused of adultery, 256 women were traded as cattle, 249 women were gang-raped, while 174 women were rape murdered.
Source: The News
Date:11/26/2008

KHAIRPUR: A cop confessed to killing his wife and her alleged paramour, police said here on Tuesday. The investigation officer (IO) of the A-Section police said that accused Abdul Razzaq Jatoi had confessed to his crime of killing his wife, Kounj, and her paramour, Muntihar, who was reportedly her second cousin.
Source: The News
Date:11/26/2008