KARACHI: Communication gap hindering settlement of disputes
KARACHI, Nov 24: Speakers at a seminar on Thursday termed lack of communication skills a major reason behind the growing incidents of violence against women.
The seminar on ‘Elimination of Violence against Women’, was organized by the Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) at the Vicky Zeitlin Media Library to observe the International Day against Violence against Women.
Prof Musarrat Hussain, psychiatrist, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre and Coordinator of Mental Relief Programme, Federal Ministry of Health, in his presentation, said that the violence emerged when the confronting parties failed to settle their dispute verbally, through logic and reason.
He said that the lack of communication skills, especially amongst the women and the traditional passive rule imposed on them by the society, was responsible for violence against women, besides other factors.
Prof Hussain said communication skills lead to awareness and awareness leads to power. He said that it was a general perception that men were responsible for violence against women, but in many circumstances women too were responsible for violence against women.
He said that besides physical violence, other shapes of violence were spoken, written and non-verbal violence.
The psychiatrist said that violence against female started with her birth, ironically, by their own parents, who showed less happiness towards this event as compared to the birth of male child.
Regarding his experience in the quake-hit areas, he said that lack of privacy in camps was resulting in growing mental illnesses, especially amongst the women.
Prof Hussain said that more than 8,000 women in the quake-hit areas were pregnant and they might face serious problems during childbirth process.
He said that the issue of violence against women could not be dealt with alone by women, and the male members of the society should also play their rule in mitigating the sufferings of women.
The psychiatrist suggested that as there was no proper social-security network for the working women, they should be given special care and attention, and they should not burden themselves with extra responsibilities.
He told that divorce ratio amongst the working women was much higher as compared to the non-working women.
Nuzhat Shireen, Coordinator Legislative Watch Programme of Aurat Foundation, in her speech said that despite all hype and tall claims, violence against women was on the rise in country.
Ms Shireen deplored the diminishing role of women police stations, and demanded that these police stations should be set up in all the 18 towns of Karachi.
She said that serious efforts were needed to end the brutal customs of Wani, Sawara, Karo kari, marriage with the Quran, and stove-burning cases.
Regarding the sufferings of women in the quake-hit areas, she said that the major issues were provision of healthcare specially regarding reproductive health and helping them to solve their personal hygiene problems.
She said that lack of privacy in the camps were a major issue for the women, as they were facing harassment even while going to the camp toilets.
Uzma Noorani, Council Member, HRCP, Sheher Bano, Samina Ishaque of the PPF also spoke.—PPI
