The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women was celebrated by the URI Women Wing, Pakistan in the office of Writers Association, Lahore on 25th November 2010. Twenty-eight women participated in this celebration. The PPP from the URI charter was read by Miss Mehk Bahdar. The message of exhortation from Fr.James Channan, the regional coordinator for URI, was read.
The majority of women participants were those who are tortured by their husbands, beating and non-working husbands. They took an active part in sharing their daily experiences and how many difficulties they were going through because they alone were earning members to care for their children. Miss Lubna Nazir, Educationist and writer briefed women to not bear the violence against them silently. Rather they must tell it to social activists and law enforcing agencies. So they can get proper help. Most of the women in Pakistan are working women but even then they don’t have any freedom in their social and personal life.
Sabina Rifat, Coordinator of the Women Wing said that URI is seriously trying to bring awareness among women regarding their rights through such educational seminars. Today’s seminar is a part of that effort. She told participants that each one of them has some special talents. They were told to recognize them and work hard on it. The participants then displayed their talents; they were very satisfied and relaxed. At this occasion it was further planned to organize more programs on such issues to educate women for the present situation in Pakistan, which is not very satisfactory. We read the message from the UN Foundation.
The women were thankful to the UN and Tamara Kreinin Executive Director of Women and Population for their strong and sensitive message. Sabina Rifat also thanked Monica Willard, URI's United Nations NGO Representative for her solidarity and updates from UNO.
At the end a meal was served to the participants. It was a very encouraging program for them and they were very ambitious to have more awareness and formative programmes for them and for thousands of other girls and women sailing in the same boat as the educational rate in women in Pakistan is terribly low.
May Peace Prevail on Earth,
Sabina Rifat
COORDINATOR URI WOMEN WING
PAKISTAN
