Staff Reporter
It is imperative that we create safe spaces for everyone, especially for women and girls, to report incidents of harassment or abuse, without any fear of retaliation or retribution, and this can only happen if we inculcate the seeds of awareness in the future leaders of Pakistan towards a just world free from violence with equal opportunities for all regardless of their gender identity, said Syed Shahnawaz Ali, Country Director of Oxfam in Pakistan.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of Oxfam in Pakistan’s project, Ending Violence Against Women (EVAW) through Art and Edutainment, supported by the Australian High Commission, he talked about how the project relied on art and edutainment to engage youth from colleges and universities, drawing attention towards gender-based violence as a serious human rights violation.
The project helped open discourse on issues that limit women and girls to participate in public life and achieve their full potential. Using art and edutainment as an engaging medium, Oxfam took numerous initiatives to draw attention towards gender-based violence as a serious human rights violation.
‘Australia commends the strides taken in Pakistan to strengthen the protections for women against harassment in educational institutions. The safe and equal participation of women in all spheres of life benefits the economy and society. Australia is proud to partner with Oxfam in Pakistan to promote the message that harassment is not inevitable, it is not acceptable, and it is preventable. This digital campaign reached more than 5 million people across the country. It also catalysed collaboration between Oxfam and the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to implement anti-harassment strategies at universities. We must work with all members of society, including men, educators, employers and community influencers to drive change’, said the Australian Deputy High Commissioner, Ms Joanne Frederiksen while addressing the audience. Under the project, Oxfam has also signed MoUs with twenty universities in Karachi, under which they have conducted sensitisation/training sessions and seminars, supported the creation of anti-harassment committees.
