The Network Mind!

As I was emphasizing the formation of linkages in the women of society, gathering up on issues, a good activity by an NGO War Against Rape, has occured. They are also forming a network on their core issue amongst all parliamentarians, police, other NGOs, in order to organise and take their work forward. This activity is funded by the EU and is central for effective steps to further the cause of War Agaunst Rape.

Some issues of the lack of progress were highlighted in the workshops . All major political parties were represented. I was there as the convener of Crises Support Group fo Defence and Clifton Residents.

Some participants were clear in their minds about the issues involved in progress or hurdles to development of objects while some were not so aware.I identified the following points;

As regards structure of the Network The Chairman should be an active worker and somene who is working in the field and has time to actively monitor the activities.

There should be multiple committees like legal, media awareness, awareness and advocacy,support for victims including rehabilitation,policy making and legislation ,implementation and hurdles to implementation of laws,,monitoring of cases, and monitoring of activities.

Standard Operating Procedures should be developed for approaches to any activity involved in registering, reporting these cases.

Media guidelines keeping in mind privacy of victims issues should be developed and MOUs with media organisations developed.

The issue of organising and categorising NGOs , individuals, groups to work for awareness and advocacy and especially at grass root levels is direly felt.

The issues that the survivor and indeed anyone helping the survivor faces is strengthening the evidence. The total lack of awareness in saving the initial evidence materials, access to exam by specified doctor, the lack of availability of medicolegal officer, the lack of availability of police esp., women police personnel all come in the way of getting the perpetrator to a court of law and final punishment.

A main hurdle is lack of one window operation as emphasized both by WAR and other civil society and parliamentary members. A good infrastructure, standardised in every city and bigger town is urgently needed. This should be made compulsory under law. All interested NGOs, government departments should work cooperatively to establish these areas. It is ironic that in a society who pretends to be so religious and dogmatic in issues of chastity does not provide any organised means to facilitate the victim of such a ghastly act and crime against humanity.

Need for Closer Linkages On Women Issues.

As Pakistan faces many retrogressive ,inhibitory and primitive challenges to take its people to primitive ,unjust political culture ,there is a dire need for women from all walks and mindset to arrive at decisions and be informed on issues quickly. The purpose of this network is as follows;
People finding women on issues relating to theirs quickly.Women forming linkages and networks,groups easily according to their needs. Women pressure groups linking and bonding.
The facebook group is Network Of Women -Pakistan,which any woman ,whether in limelight or not, can join. Please refrain from entering any hate debate and issues on discussion.Only positive arguments for construction and getting women,s issues solved or helped will be encouraged. This is not a forum for abuse, degredation and assault by petty mindset. If you are not genuine do not bother.All women who want to find platforms or groups close to thier views may join.

Frontline Issues For The Pakistani Women

IT is an irony that the Pakistani woman was overwhelmed by issues of poverty, lack of access to justice, lack of decision making rights regarding family planning, marraige, property, education, ability to earn an income etc, she is now bieng assaulted by Talebanisation. This phenomenon, a militant assault by a primitive culture of sorts bieng thrust on our polity by force. The tragedy is tha t the ordinary citizen is not able to fight this ,how can women?
The future looks bleak for everyone who believes in Pakistan,as the legislators themselves fail to understand the seriousness of the issues. There is no open debate on the issues concerned. Everything is bieng hushed up by the concerned parliamentarians and all the officials. It seems that a larger conspiracy is taking place of which the citizen is unaware.
If we donot discuss issues out in the open and do not raise a voice against violence against women, the time will be gone to take any action.

What Is The Charter Of Democracy?

As published in DAWN, newspaper of Pakistan. Read it for yourself and decide where lies the hitch to follow it?http://dawn.com/ Text of the Charter of Democracy -DAWN - Local; May 16, 2006.htm

Fight Against Health Risks!

The Pakistani woman needs to fight against health risks. The immediate health risks are as follows;

• Unsafe childbirth; at home deliveries,risked because untrained birth attendants are using methods such as uterine massage, unsterilised tools such as knives to cut placenta,unsterilised and highly infected materials to cut and clamp the cord. How can you help in such a situation. Provide simple but safe kits to the birth attendants and spread information about use of such kits in women and dais, small clinics. Always encourage women and children to vaccinate against tetanus. Provide vaccine to poor women in whatever scale you can. Remeber if you save one mother, you save a family!
• Always encourage and help provide clean drinking water to a poor, uninformed family.Poor people do not have means to burn fuel for boiling, provide fuel or other methods for sterilising water such as iodine use, sunlight sterilising methods.
• Always help poor families towards prevention of diseases. Tuberculosis bieng the most notorious and rampant in overcrowded poor dwellings, always help identify sufferers and take them to treatment facilities such as Jinnah hospital ,Karachi for full diagnosis and treatment. Remeber if the open case is detected and properly treated you save the whole family.Hepatitis prevention is another priority. help people vacinate against hepatitis B infection. Spread awareness of this disease.
• Provide information about family planning,refer women to family planning centers.This way you prevent unsafe abortions and health risks and even mortality.

Need for network supported in first formation of NETWORK for WOMEN PAKISTAN.

Mrs Nasreen Siddqui coodinator WAR said that there is a dire need for immediate networking.She emphasised the focussed thrust on issues to push forward agenda for action be it implementation of laws, institutional improvement,awareness and information dissemination on issues of violence on women and children,rape,domestic violence,sexual and physical assault and others.
Ms.Sadia of Sparc enthusiastically supported the formation of the network.She said linking on issues of the rights of the child will be easier.
Earlier Ms. Nasreen had met a number of NGO's participants and individuals in a seminar in Hyderabad where she enlisted support of a number of them for the network.

The Aims And Objectives Of Crises Support Group For Defence and Clifton Residents

Post incidences of violence in Karachi's elitist and projected as safe,posh areas where women and even families are finding it difficult to go out for normal outings and where yesterday a basant and valentine function of young persons in Nisar Shaheed park was vandalised by danda(sticks) bearing men, we have decided to form a network of women,including parliamentarians, professional women, and other support personnel like media persons,police other administration personnel,members of resident's societies.Already I have managed to induct few members from HOUSEWIVES group of defence residents and a number of resource persons including psychotherapists,clinical psychologists,doctors. The idea is to bring confidence and a sense of security in the resident community,so that they can find a place to come to when such a situation arises. So far there is not a single crises support center in Karachi which is a megacity.

The support group will provide full support to the victims and their families,with listening, counselling, legal aid, medical help, and any other help they may require.
There will be full information about crime,their legal aspects, how to lodge an FIR, what medical evidence to save and where to go for medicolegal examination. There will be facilitation and we will make sure that the victim is comfortable.

The parliamentarians and administration with police will fill in to amend and rectify any wrongs in access to justice. All people will be provided training and sensitization through workshops and interactive forums.

The model will be the network of support of Canada.These centers and support groups are a part of their public affairs system and are quite useful.

To work in close association with organisations like WAR, HRCP, CPLC and others working in the fields of victim support and crises management and violence mitigation.

Already we are disseminating information to the defence residents through their societies 'newsletters.