Advocacy, Awareness and Capacity Building under "We Can End Honor Killing Campaign" in Pakistan
February 13- April 30, 2006
Funding Partner
:
Oxfam GB
Project Area
:
Pakistan
Introduction and Background
The general trend of violence against women is increasing day by day at the level of family, society as well as state in Pakistan. In the family woman faces domestic violence at the hands of her close relatives especially their husbands. At the societal level the crimes against women including rape, abductions, and murders of women have increased many folds.
However, the most dangerous crime against the women especially in Sindh, Balochistan and NWFP is honor killings. In Sindh, hundreds of women, of all ages are killed every year with perceptions of honor. The number of such killings is steadily increasing. These murders take place mostly to cover up personal vendettas, to obtain the victim’s property or to have another marriage etc.
Civil society organizations in Pakistan have initiated ‘We can end honor killings’ campaign with the facilitation of Oxfam GB. On March 16 2005, the We Can campaign was officially launched in Quetta, Balochistan. The campaign was also launched in Sindh province on April 1, 2006 in Hyderabad. The principal effort of the campaign is to bring down the incidence of women murdered in the name of honor. This exercise will mean serious commitments towards altering people’s attitudes, beliefs and behavior.
The campaign has initiated public dialogue on honor killings. It is trying to persuade religious and tribal leaders and other sections of the society to condemn such killings. Public discourse on the subject is being encouraged to create an enabling environment for women to seek support. It is important that women are aware of their social, legal and political rights so that they are better prepared for the possibility of violence against them and are empowered to combat it. Participatory Development Initiatives [PDI] is the part of that campaign since the day of its initiation. Following key activities were undertaken by PDI in the campaign:
All Parties Conference on Violence against Women in Karachi Sindh Pakistan
Media Training Workshop on Reporting Violence against Women in Hyderabad
Media Training Workshop on Reporting Violence against Women in Sukkur
Training Workshop on Advocacy and Campaigning for WE Can Partners in the provincial headquarters of Pakistan
Advocacy, Awareness and Capacity Building under "We Can End Honor Killing Campaign" in Pakistan
February 13- April 30, 2006Introduction and Background
The general trend of violence against women is increasing day by day at the level of family, society as well as state in Pakistan. In the family woman faces domestic violence at the hands of her close relatives especially their husbands. At the societal level the crimes against women including rape, abductions, and murders of women have increased many folds.
However, the most dangerous crime against the women especially in Sindh, Balochistan and NWFP is honor killings. In Sindh, hundreds of women, of all ages are killed every year with perceptions of honor. The number of such killings is steadily increasing. These murders take place mostly to cover up personal vendettas, to obtain the victim’s property or to have another marriage etc.
Civil society organizations in Pakistan have initiated ‘We can end honor killings’ campaign with the facilitation of Oxfam GB. On March 16 2005, the We Can campaign was officially launched in Quetta, Balochistan. The campaign was also launched in Sindh province on April 1, 2006 in Hyderabad. The principal effort of the campaign is to bring down the incidence of women murdered in the name of honor. This exercise will mean serious commitments towards altering people’s attitudes, beliefs and behavior.
The campaign has initiated public dialogue on honor killings. It is trying to persuade religious and tribal leaders and other sections of the society to condemn such killings. Public discourse on the subject is being encouraged to create an enabling environment for women to seek support. It is important that women are aware of their social, legal and political rights so that they are better prepared for the possibility of violence against them and are empowered to combat it. Participatory Development Initiatives [PDI] is the part of that campaign since the day of its initiation. Following key activities were undertaken by PDI in the campaign: