Abstracts
Panel: Ending Violence Against Women (VAW): The Unconventional Role of Men
Mobilising men to help minimise violence against women
Violence and women in Pakistan: A cycle of perpetual pain
Mobilising men to help minimise violence against women
Arifa Mazhar*
The existences of patriarchal culture and taboos have restricted the opportunities, decision-making power and the mobility of women to approach external resources. Poverty and gender inequality form a “vicious cycle that pushes millions of women and girls into constant denial of rights, deprivation and discrimination” (MHHDC 2006). Participatory analysis through Sungi men and women community partners indicates that landless, lower castes, minorities and women are the most marginalised and socially excluded. There is a clear ‘feminization of poverty’, which is manifested by the “increase in the proportion of women-headed households and the rise in women’s participation in low-paying, informal sector economic activities” (Mumtaz 2006). About 70 per cent women in police custody experience sexual and physical abuse, whereas 80 per cent women in Pakistan experience domestic violence. Sexual harassment, violence against women, trafficking and abduction were also reported particularly after the earthquake and IDP crisis.
The above reasons pushed Sungi to start its initiatives in 1989 which has since “emerged as an internationally acclaimed public interest civil society organisation working for the rights of the marginalised and the poor in Pakistan” (PPI 2005) with the vision to “work towards a peaceful and prosperous society based on social justice, equity and equality.” Sungi’s mission is to ‘bring about policy and institutional changes by mobilising marginalised women and men communities to transform their lives through equitable and sustainable use of resources without any discrimination against social origin, sex, race, caste and religion” (Janjua 2009, p.6).
Sungi focuses on a number of specific development issues and challenges using a two-pronged strategy. Firstly, by organising and mobilising deprived women and men communities from a rights’ perspective and complementing the efforts through strong advocacy to influence policy and institutional framework. Secondly, by forming intellectual and financial partnerships with Community Based Organisations (CBOs) sharing its objectives. The pursuit for women’s empowerment and gender equality is at the core of Sungi’s work in line with the mandates of CEDAW, Beijing Platform for Action, and the Millennium Development Goals.
Social mobilisation approach ensures participation of the marginalised segments, particularly women in the development process. It helps them to develop effectual local level institutions to pool and mobilise their resources for improving their lives. These institutions enable women and men partners, to analyse their own situations, suggest solutions, plan, implement and manage their development programmes in a sustainable and equitable manner, using principles and tools of participation. “Broad based village committees (VCs) including all segments of society particularly the marginalised and ultra-poor are organised at the village level. VCs are responsible to lead development process in their villages, develop and implement village development plans with the support of government and non government organisations working in their village. Federation of VCs is formed at Union Council (UC) level in the form of Area Coordination Council” (Sungi website). Within the VC structure, there is a flexibility to organise different interest groups revolving around a single purpose or theme such as craft group, farmers group, seed bank, disaster management committee, human rights committee, fruit growers’ association, etc. “In order to empower women and encourage active participation of women in the participatory development process, Sungi insists on the formation of a women VC as a prerequisite for a village/community to be able to establish a working partnership with Sungi. Similarly, to the extent possible men and women are encouraged to work together and form joint VCs, ensuring the pre-requisites of participation and empowerment, with 50 percent of women representation in executive body” (Sungi website).
Sungi has been working on the violence against women since its inception. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is conservative male dominated area with tribal mind set. Gender stereotypes are pervasive and perpetuate throughout life. Domestic violence is common and often well accepted by vulnerable women as an essential part of their life. Some old women in District Battagram said that “they had seen violence on their mothers and now they are facing the same and perhaps their female child had to go through the same cycle” (Sungi website).
Through its partner civil society organizations, Sungi has developed an institutional mechanism to end VAW. The approach is to sensitise the partners to change their mindsets, capacitate them to understand the deep-rooted issue, mobilise them to combat it locally, and advocate for policy change at the national level. Sungi established and trained a group of media persons and political parties at district level to keep a vigilant eye on the cases of violence against women. The Human Rights Committees at the Area Coordination Council (ACC) immediately take actions and positions at the local level when any cases are reported. However, in domestic violence cases, local institutions including ACC, ‘Musalihati Jirga’ (a body established under Local Governance Ordinance 2001) or formal ‘Jirga’ (council of tribal elders) is involved to settle the issue.
As Sungi is not legal aid organisation, so the already trained human rights activists link and report the cases of violence to the police and media with complete information, facts and figures. There are number of cases where men and women partner organisations took immediate action and culprits were arrested. Sungi also launches its Human Rights monitor on six-monthly basis where the cases of violence against women are discussed with lawyers, district administration and media at the district press club of the working area.
This paper will focus on how the mobilisation and engagement of men has helped in minimising VAW in the working areas of Sungi.
References:
Janjua, Yasin 2009, ‘Sungi’s cash for choice project-Process monitoring and evaluation study’, August, viewed on 29 Nov 2010, <http://www.sungi.org/cash_for_choice_project_study.pdf>
MHHDC 2006, ‘Poverty in South Asia: Challenges and Responses, The human development in South Asia report’, Mahbub ul Haq Human Development Centre, Pakistan.
Mumtaz, Khawar 2006, ‘Gender and poverty in Pakistan’, Pakistan Poverty Assessment Update, Background Paper Series no.7, Asian Development Bank, Pakistan Resident Mission, viewed on 29 Nov 2010, <http://www.shirkatgah.org/_uploads/_files/f_18-gender-and-poverty-in-pakistan-adb.pdf>
PPI 2005, ‘SDF to conduct 38-courses, training workshops in current year’,
Pakistan Press International, 24 April, viewed on 29 Nov 2010,
<http://www.turnitin.com/viewGale.asp?r=73.0143367270564&svr=11&lang=en_
us&oid=30254001&key=be8737f86043ccdfc3186840d56dc62e>
Sungi Development Foundation website, viewed on 1 Dec. 2010, <http://sungi.org/our_vision_&_mission.html>
* Ms Arifa Mazhar is a Graduate in philosophy and education and is presently working as Manager Gender with SUNGI.
Violence and women in Pakistan: A cycle of perpetual pain
Sameena Nazir*
Human kind as far back as recorded history goes has been branded with the bane of violence against women. The eras and cultures of the world have at one time or another struggled with this issue. While some have managed to overcome it to a degree, they still struggle with its eradication once and for all. The United Nations General Assembly in its authority passed the resolution (A/RES/48/10) condemning violence in any form or manner against women.
In Pakistan, violence against women is a very dire situation in society. Even more horrifying is the fact that a large number of VAW incidents are never registered with the concerned authorities. In the experience PODA has so far accumulated, most of all physical and sexual violence against women cases are in the rural areas of the country. More troubling is the fact that most of this abuse is carried out in the four walls of the dwellings these women reside in by their very own family members.
The women in these rural areas are subjected to cruelty of extreme degrees ranging from mental distress to physical pain. PODA has provided legal aid to over 200 women since 2004 in various rural communities; this aid ranges from legal aid to actual FIR (police) registrations. The most recent campaign being run by PODA relates to EVAW (End Violence against Women) in which workshops and training programmes are conducted for rural women, rural women network organisations and teachers regarding sexual harassment, domestic and sexual violence alongside legal aid and advice.
Women, not only in Pakistan, but all over the world deserve equal justice and treatment, the abuse they suffer has gone on for far too long and it stands as a dark spot on the face of humanity. The grassroots and rural communities need to be targeted specifically in Pakistan and programmes need to be started across from all organisational capacities ranging from individuals to the government level. The mindset of men in the rural communities also need to be targeted directly, this is one of the only concrete, long term plans through which a gradual process of curbing this barbaric practice can be brought about.
* Sameena Nazir is the Executive Director of Potohar Organisation for Development Advocacy (PODA), Islamabad, Pakistan.
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