Education about human and especially women rights at the grassroots level is vital and only awareness is the antidote to unleash a difference and defeat the parochial mindset that encourages violence against women could be changed through awareness.
This was the crux of a news conference organised by 'We Can' Campaign Pakistan chapter. 'We Can' End Violence against Women is a Global Campaign, being implemented in 14 countries world-wide. The drive focuses mainly on doing away with violence in all manifestations aiming at mustering public opinion on the burning issue by creating massive awareness. The sensitisation process is aimed to underlying the belief that personal attitudinal change becomes the agent for social change.
Farah Khushi, a prominent Pakistani-born Scottish said violence against women is unfortunate and proves deadly. Gender inequality is a problem everywhere in the world, but there are some women who are denied the basic human right, who feel safe in their homes.
"We want to change things by helping men understand that to use violence or threats of violence as a means of controlling women is neither acceptable, nor is it in their own interest, or that of society." Womenfolk should be informed about their rights and only legislation could yield no results until people are not informed and the set of laws were implemented in letter and spirit.
It is in the best interest of the country, society and a family to give due rights to women. "Enforcement of laws is vitally important but awareness has parallel significance to protect women rights," Khushi said.
Sharing details of her visits to the countryside including Muzafargarh, Bahawalpur and Multan district, she said, "During the visit I held meetings with people who have experienced terrible ordeals. But, they do not lose courage and used their dreadful experiences to spread a message of hope and change."
The campaign from person to person and community to community is necessary to let people know to stop and discourage violence against women. People should be educated as in most cases they violate women rights without knowing it that they are violating women rights. The specific mentality should be discouraged. Besides, amendments in legislation should be done with the passage of time to cater future needs.
Associate Country Director, Oxfam GB, Dr Noreen Khalid said individual has power to make a difference. "The problem is the mindset and we have to overcome it." They are working to inform schoolchildren in rural areas of the country. They have signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with executive district officer education for access to public schools for creating awareness among students. "It could make a huge difference when these children would resist violence against women."
Answering a question, she said though they support education about women and human rights issues in the curriculum, the campaign is only focusing on educating people and is not working to motivate government for legislations. "We have distributed materials that contain information about women rights among students in public schools."