ISLAMABAD: A painting and installation exhibition celebrating 16 days of activism against gender violence opened at the Nomad Art Gallery.

The show was organised in collaboration with the Australian High Commission and included dozens of paintings, drawings, cartoon sketches and installations done in mixed media from artists in Islamabad and other cities. Each piece was made on wooden planks or takhtis used for writing in schools.

The opening of the exhibition was preceded by a seminar in which speakers elaborated on difficulties faced by women, especially in those areas of the country where the law does not guarantee protection of their rights.

Saba Amjad, from Jamrud in Khyber Agency, narrated countless incidents in Fata in which justice has been denied to women. She said the women in her area have been forced into marriages, their schools have been destroyed and their homes and livestock have been ravished by war.

Fatima Atif from the Hazara community reminded the audience about the genocide being committed against her people in Balochistan.

“It’s like an open prison. Our features give us away to people who unload us from buses and gun us down. We have been victims of systematic killing since 1999 to date,” said Fatima Atif.

The Australian High Commissioner in Islamabad Peter Heyward said human rights violations were widespread across the world. “Every week a woman is killed in Australia. While human rights will never be realised completely, we do have the capacity to speak, the capacity to raise our voices and the capacity to identify areas of concern,” said Peter Heyward.

Shaista Pervaiz Malik, member of parliament and secretary general Women’s Parliamentary Caucus, said her head hangs in shame when she hears stories of atrocities committed against women in Pakistan.

“It is an uphill task but we are strong and spirited people and together we can win this fight against gender violence,” she said.

The art display carried various themes such as education, militarism, corruption, poverty, protest, graffiti, revolution, justice and empowerment.

Riffat Khattak integrated poetic verses from Ghani Khan and Bulleh Shah in pen and ink, Ahmad Habib emphasised women’s role in imparting education and leading society in charcoal, acrylic and oil on canvas and wood.

“We all suffer in one way or the other and are marginalised in our own ways. But I see women as symbol of strength and support,” said Zahra Kazmi elaborating on the thought process behind her portraits.

Manizah MJ depicted women as untold stories.

“She is willing learn from the past to move on towards betterment,” she said.

The show will continue till December 5.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2014