ISLAMABAD, Dec 3: Gender-based violence adversely affects the entire society and economy because a nation cannot progress if half its population is marginalised. It is upon the new generation, especially the men, to ensure women are provided their rights.

This was stated by Peter Brennan, the minister counselor for public affairs at the US Embassy, while addressing a panel discussion on combating gender-based violence. The event was organised by the National University of Science and Technology (Nust) and Pakistan-US Alumni Network (PUAN) at Nust on Tuesday.

The discussion is part of the ongoing 16-day campaign launched on November 25 to end violence and discrimination against women.

The campaign will conclude on the International Human Rights Day (December 10).

The interactive discussion included comments and questions by both the audience and the speakers. The latter included Barrister Ayesha Saddique, Aqsa Ghairat of the Woman’s Organisation for Right and Development and Irfan Haider, the director (operations) of Acid Survivor Foundation.

Peter Brennan maintained that women were forced to bear violence and harassment because they were economically dependent on the male members of the family and were supposed to save the family’s ‘honour’.

Citing the “Keep America Clean” campaign launched in the 1960s, he said the campaign was such a success that even children shamed their parents if they littered.

He maintained that a similar campaign was required to increase society’s awareness towards human rights in general and women rights in particular.

The discussion, in which the audience was actively involved, revolved around the causes of domestic violence as well as harassment at work and in public.

Mr Brennan said: “Strong confident men do not need to raise their hand against women. It is the weak self-doubting individuals who resort to beating women.”

Similarly, Aqsa Ghairat maintained that 80 per cent of women in Pakistan experienced some form of harassment. She said while violence against women in acid-attack cases was evident, the harassment women faced indoors was usually ignored as society did not allow women to make such grievances public.

She added that power struggle in the family encouraged violence against women of the same family, adding that even women had double standards. She maintained that sexual harassment and violence were usually committed so that “the man feels powerful”.

Similarly Ayesha Saddique maintained that there were several loopholes in the laws which allowed perpetrators of rape and violence escape unscathed. “Even at the international level, not a single treaty places the responsibility of preventing rape incidents on the state,” she added.

Furthermore, she said in several incidents of gender-based violence, women of the family were involved in burning and torturing other women. These incidents were usually related to dowry or petty family disputes.

Irfan Haider said many women, especially victims of acid attack, did not come forward and went into isolation as they could not cope with the emotional and psychological effects of the incident.

Therefore, he said it was necessary to counsel the victim’s family too so that they helped the victim cope with the incident. He also touched upon child rape stating that it was upon the women of the family to stand for the rights of their children.

“The police have to be reformed so that concrete evidence is presented in the courts,” he said.

The audience was also asked of its opinion on the issue, and several scenarios were also presented before students asking them of their view.

A member of the audience pointed out that women with more education were termed ‘rebellious’ by the society, at which Peter Brennan commented that change was always resisted and it was necessary to engage more and more people in such discussions.