Author Topic: Karachi University seminar titled ‘End Violence against Girls  (Read 863 times)

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Karachi University seminar titled ‘End Violence against Girls
« on: November 30, 2018, 12:59:36 PM »
Karachi University seminar titled ‘End Violence against Girls
Karachi:30: November:A primitive culture and existing tribal systems in the country are one of major reasons behind violence against women and crimes such as honour killings, said Karachi University Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Muhammad Ajmal Khan.

Addressing a seminar titled ‘End Violence against Women and Girls’ at the varsity’s Arts Auditorium on Thursday, Dr Khan urged for collective and continuous efforts to change the society’s mindsets in order to put an end to crimes and violence against women.

The seminar was part of the ongoing international campaign, 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence. “We must develop a culture which has the capacity to raise voices against such issues, and the courage to come forward and stop these problems at grassroots level. Otherwise, it will be very difficult to achieve the target,” he said. “A very important issue has been raised. Every individual and group must play their role in spreading awareness among their circle of family, friends, relatives, working and worship places so that we can practically do something to end violence against women and girls.”

He pointed out that gender-based violence cannot be stopped without first eradicating socio-economic barriers which are also one of the major reasons behind such crimes. Speaking on the occasion, former Sindh police chief Niaz Siddiqui shed light on how society can prevent honour killings and other crimes against women. “All kinds of systems are made and run by humans. If we want to make a change and improve the society we have to change ourselves first.”

The former cop said honour killing was a homicide crime and one cannot be a complainant, lawyer, evident, judge and executor at same time. Siddiqui said 87 per cent women and 13 per cent men are victims of violence in society.

Quoting a recent survey report, he said close relatives were mostly involved in honour crimes and killings – 21 per cent brothers, 15 per cent fathers, 11 per cent each intimate partners and cousins, nine per cent relatives and seven per cent spouses, among others.

“Although, everyone is this country claims to be a good Muslim, this is so unfortunate that women and men are killed in the name of honour despite the fact that killing in strongly prohibited in the religion and there are numbers of verses in the Holy Quran in this regard,” the former police chief said.

He lamented that despite murder being against the basic teachings of Islam, people do not show any resistance when such cases occur. “That silence is promoting violence in the society.”

According to Siddiki, Punjab has a higher honour-related crime rate whereas Sindh, Khyber Pukhtunkhwa and Balochistan are second, third and fourth, respectively. In rural Sindh, honour crime victims are buried without funeral prayers and shrouds, while no other bodies are allowed to be laid in those graveyards, he said.

Kapil Dev, the Sindh chapter president of UN Women, said most of the victims of violence do not have access to social and mainstream media that is why such programmes are being conducted so that awareness is spread in those areas as well.

“It is very unfortunate that data of crime against women are not available in the country and the masses do not raise their voices against honour crimes,” he said. Fouzia Tariq of Management Consultancy and Training Services, which co-organised the seminar, presented data on the categories and reasons of honour crimes and how to stop them.

“Every third woman faces violence, while every day 137 women become victims at home or outside,” she said, encouraging the audience to speak up and rise up against these crimes, and to teach their children how to behave with respect towards women.The news.
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