ISLAMABAD: The works of 10 young artists highlighting various aspects of gender-based violence were exhibited on Thursday in a show titled Silence Allows Violence – Breaking Silence through Art.

The exhibition was held at the Pakistan National Council of Arts as part of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, and inaugurated by Shirakat – Partnership for Development and MenEngage Alliance Pakistan.

Shirakat Executive Director Bilquis Tahira introduced the organisation and its role as the secretariat of the MenEngage Alliance. She said: “Shirakat uses creative approaches to change the attitudes and behaviours that lead to gender-based violence and inequities. We have found that arts, culture and sports are very strong mediums to change the mindsets that reduce the risk of gender violence.”

The exhibiting artists used various mediums to depict their perception of women’s strength, role and potential while others highlighted the restrictions and repressive practices that have found space in society.

Sadia Atif said that all the artists were “breaking the silence through our art to stop violence and to stop the silence around violence”.

She added: ‘My theme is to highlight and stop sex selective abortion where the girl child is terminated as boys are preferred. If there is no girl, there is no woman, no society, and eventually no boy.”

Another exhibiting artist, Numaira Javed, said she tried to show the importance of women in society.

“I believe there is a whole world inside a woman and she should carry on as she wants without being affected by society. Her thoughts are like butterflies that add beauty on earth and this beauty can only be effective if her thoughts are free and her creativity is not restricted,” she went on.

“I think it is time we should stop talking about violence against a specific gender, I think we should talk about violence against humanity. Art is a celebration of life, and if we are creating something we should be sensitive enough to understand that the most important things that we need are love, peace, tolerance and diversity,” artist Raza Shah said.

Jean-Francois Cautain, ambassador of the European Union, said at the exhibition: “For me, gender based violence, especially violence against women, is the darkest side of patriarchy. This is not specific to Pakistan but Pakistan also has a way to go before achieving gender equality and we are working on that with our partners.”

“In any country artists are visionaries. They are the people who are looking beyond the limits of society; they are trying to break the barriers and boundaries. Congratulations to the artists on what they have created, I am very impressed by what I have seen. I hope that people come to see the exhibition and men and women are inspired and engaged by it,” he said.

Canadian High Commissioner Wendy Gilmour said: “Violence against women and girls is a problem that affects all of our societies, not just Pakistan, not just South Asia. Activities like the 16 Days of Activism and this art exhibition remind us there is so much that we have to do on these subjects.

“One in three women and girls experience violence over the course of their lifetimes so we have to work with our boys and men while they are young so they realize the role they have to play to stop gender-based violence. It is only through women’s participation in public life, in political life, in industry, in all spheres, in the army, in the police, that we will ensure that there is space for women and safety for women in our societies.”

Published in Dawn, December 21st, 2018