KARACHI: To mark International Women’s Day, Tehreek-i-Niswan will hold a conference on March 8 under its campaign ‘Hum Aurtein ... no more violence’, it was announced at a press conference on Monday.

Sheema Kermani, president of the Tehreek, said that “through street theatre performances we convey human rights messages. These are staged in different parts of the city and outside, especially in underprivileged areas to encourage dialogue on the issues we present in our performances. This is the main purpose of the conference.”

To be held at the Arts Council, the conference will discuss issues such as social and cultural violence, domestic abuse, rape, as well as the connection between violence and health. Not only will there be stage performances, but panel discussions will be held in which ideas to further a charter of demands over violence against women will be presented.

Adviser to the chief minister on culture Sharmila Farooqui, Heela Faryal from Afghanistan, journalist Rashmi Talwar from India, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa MNA Dr Azhar Khan Jadoon and Justice Ali Nawaz Chowhan, chairman of the National Commission for Human Rights, will also take part in the conference. Several of the activists participating are not from Karachi and the purpose of including them is to welcome a more diverse viewpoint to the current narrative.

Karamat Ali of the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (Piler), speaking at the press conference, said:

“Women today face violence on a physical, social, psychological as well as spiritual level.”

He also discussed the passing of the Women Protection Bill by the Punjab Assembly and the backlash it faced from different corners, particularly from religious parties. “They believe that just by the passing of this bill, the entire country will be destroyed in the next few weeks,” he quipped.

It is imperative to raise a collective voice against violence in any form, especially against women. “Political or non-political actors, religious parties, civil society leaders as well as the public must all condemn violence in all its manifestation for the greater good of our society,” he said.

Dr Shershah Syed, president of the Pakistan National Forum on Women’s Health, spoke about his experiences of a day earlier in the capacity of a gynaecologist. “At one end I had a 13-year-old rape victim who had been brought in by her mother. And later in the day I met a pregnant woman who asked me for reassurances that her unborn child was a boy, which was not the case as she was carrying a girl.”

The psychological scars of such happenings, Dr Syed said, were irreparable and must be addressed by the state, political parties as well as by the public.

Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2016