LAHORE: South Asia Partnership called for a second day of their conference, where several speakers discussed the issue of sexual harassment, while the event was uplifted by plays. The session began with a an Oath taking ceremony, anchored by Naeema Malik (SAP), where the members along with the change makers, this time from all four provinces, signed a banner and pledged that they would continue forwarding the cause of ending violence against women.
The ‘We Can End Violence Against Women’ campaign has been going on in about 41 disctricts of Pakistan where the incidence of gender based violence is highlighted by all partners and allies. So far 350,000 people in Pakistan have taken part in these campaigns.
This year 1500 female local leaders from 30 districts and 200 schools from South Punjab also participated. Hajera Pasha from the campaign’s national secretariat highlighted the campaigning objectives, while Mohammad Tehseen (Executive Director SAP) emphasized on the importance of these objectives, and discussing what the way forward should be. He appreciated the spirit of change makers who came to attend the event from other districts to show their interest in eliminating gender based violence, and he said that men too are taking a dynamic part.
Naeema Malik, Shabnum Rasheed, Shakeela (AUrat Foundation), Sabeeta (Seher), Ghafar Malik (Sindh) and others also spoke. Group discussions on breaking myths about gender stereotypes was presented through a snake and ladder game, while theatre plays by IRC and Mandwa Group made the event interesting.
