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Lahore: South Asia Partnership Pakistan (SAP-PK), one of the leading civil society organization in Pakistan, fighting and raising voice to eliminate violence against women in Pakistan. SAP- PK has organized a media briefing in a local hotel yesterday. In media briefing it was announced, that including Pakistan 14 countries of the world have launched a new “WECAN Global Network WCGN.
This is an alliance of 14 WECAN national campaigns (Indonesia Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Niger, Burundi, Kenya, Netherland and Canada). It is a moment to end all violence against women that spread from the WECAN campaign initiated in 2004 to three other continents.
On November 30th each of these countries WECAN Change Makers are conducting flash mob actions to demonstrate that positive change in attitude and practices is possible to end violence against women (VAW), which is a worldwide phenomenon and every year millions of women experience violence within and outside of their home due to gender discrimination.
Overall situation of women in Pakistan is almost the same as it is in other countries, regarding the violence against women in South Asian region it was stated that in every two minutes every women is being suffered violence in her day to day life.
This was regretted that the states as well as the Governments of this South Asian region are failed to provide any protection or other legal measures to save women victims of violence.
While speaking on effects of different forms of Gender Based Violence, speakers explained the objectives of the “We Can Campaign” , that due to the alarming situation of Violence Against Women in south Asia, Oxfam GB had launched this campaign in sis South Asian countries.
It was told that the basic objective of the campaign is to bring attitudinal change for men and women to eliminate those myths which are the root cause of VAW. At this moment, in Pakistan, this campaign is going on in 36 districts, about 5 lac or half a million of change makers (male and female) are engaged with this campaign.
These agents of change or catalysts though their efforts and commitments to the cause of trying to change the society by sensitizing people about violence as a social evil. Role of change makers was highlighted which is activism based.
Several activities (study circles, seminars, awareness raising campaigns on Gender based Violence, in educational institutions and meetings) in rural as well as urban communities are being organized to raise consciousness among the people. Media briefing was ended with the Deceleration;
“We the change makers that of We Can Social Moment, commit to foster change within ourselves to end all forms of violence against women and motivate other to join this journey towards Equality, Justice and Peace.
The media briefing was addressed by Mrs. Zakia Arshad Programme manager SAP-Pk, Mr. Sharjeel Ahmad Program Manager and Miss. Noureen Salah-ud-Din program officer Sap-Pk. Aurat Foundations, Shirkat Gah , WAR, Action Aid, Strengthening Participatory Organization, HRCP, Goudh and LRC participated in media briefing.
For more information, contact:
South Asia Partnership Pakistan
Farzana Mumtaz
Media Coordinator SAP-Pakistan
Cell # 0331-4044981