The Ideas for Life Trust in collaboration with the Plan International organised on Thursday an interactive session with college and university students of the city and youth at large to raise awareness about violence against women in the society. In this regard, two plays by theatre groups called Bedari (Awakening) and 100 Quarters were the highlight of the evening. On the occasion, the male youngsters also pledged they would never commit nor tolerate any kind of violence against women, said a press release issued here on Thursday. The event “Real men don’t hit Women” marked the finale of the 16-day activism for ending violence against women. During the 16 days, a number of activities were held at Quaid-i-Azam University, NUML, Iqra University, NUST and Bahria University. More than 2,000 students of these universities made the pledge they would respect women and solve all problems through understanding and mutual sharing.
The event started with young men from various institutions bearing candles. One by one, they came to the stage and each of the boys made his own pledge reflecting he had lit the candle in memory of the women victims of various social ills. One of the boys said, “I have lit the candle for all the victims of domestic violence.” Another said, “My heart goes out to the victims of acid throwing.” “I have lit the candle in memory of the unborn baby girls who were not wanted by their parents,” said another boy. All those candle bearers devoted their candles to women who suffered abuse and lost their life to the false notion of men’s honour. The performance by Bedari theatrical group focused on domestic violence. “Qanoon Hona Chaheeda” was the title of the play they presented on the occasion. It was the story of Sabran Bibi who was beaten daily by her husband. Fed up by the daily insult, one day her two young kids decided to go to police station to file a complaint against their father.
There they were told to go back as police did not intervene in the affairs of a household. Finally, the community living in that area decided to launch a movement for enactment of laws to curb violence against women. In the play “Revolution” by 100 Quarters, the story revolves around a family in which the head of the family is constantly nagged by his father and friends to discipline his wife by beating her.
