LAHORE, Nov 28: A candle-lit vigil was held protesting violence against women at Charing Cross on Friday. Members of the Aurat Foundation held placards stating various views like one against karo kari and one saying: “zulmon se azad zindagi humara haq he”.

Nabila Shaheen, an organiser of the event, said it was the male faction of society that was more to blame for the varied forms of violence witnessed against women whether it is at home, at the workplace or elsewhere.

While the International Day for Violence against Women falls on Nov 25, the International Human Rights Day comes on Dec 10. By holding various activities from Nov 25 to Dec 10, the movement aims to make people understand that even violence against women comes under violation of human rights. Violence degrades a person’s self-esteem, self-confidence and status, and should therefore be abhorred in all its forms.

By way of this campaign, not only the male section of society is being targeted, but help has been sought from the police and jail authorities as well. Traffic wardens have been asked to wear the white ribbons (indicative of males joining in for saying no to violence against women) and to distribute flyers among commuters. While honour-killing has received much attention in our part of the world, violence in any form should be condemned.

The campaign aims to make people get more awareness about the disadvantages of violence. Only in a violence-free society can a woman play an equal role in the political and developmental arena.