By Abdul Rub Farooqi | Executive Director, Project Leader
International Women Day Celebration
Event: Women Festival 2018
Date: March 8, 2018
Venue: GNB Vocational Center for livelihood Model Village # 48-NP Rahim Yar Khan
Background
Jaag Welfare Movement is the rights-based organization established in 1997 for the sustainable development of marginalized communities including Children, women and Older People. Jaag Welfare Movement is working to combat Child Marriages, tribal customary practices based on violence against women. Jaag is the partner of different national and international networks working on the issues of SRHR, GBV and Child Marriages. Pakistan Parwan Alliance and GirlsNotBrides. Pakistan Parwan Alliance envisages a society that is fair, safe and equal for all while being the member of GirlsNotBrides Global Network to end Child Marriages, we share the conviction that every girl has the right to lead the life that she chooses and that, by ending child marriage, we can achieve a safer, healthier and more prosperous future for all.
Jaag Welfare Movement always stands with the women empowerment, Ending Violence Against Women & Child Marriage from Society especially from rural areas. Jaag Welfare Movement celebrated International Women Day 2018 in GNB Vocational Center Model Village # 48/NP Rahim Yar Khan. The Girls and the women had not been attended any ceremony for the women and girls.
Event: Women Festival
The objective of the Women Festival is to encourage speak-out the issues of SRHR especially Child Marriage, Gender Based Violence, Harassment on the road, Child Sexual Abuse, Good Touch and Bad Touch, Concepts of Private Body Parts, Girls Education. The situation was worst when GNB Vocational Center for livelihood started earlier in September October 2017 regarding their fears and hesitation from camera, photography and presenting themselves on any stage. Even the students could not talk in the classrooms. Jaag encouraged them by the screening of videos of empowering women and girls facing the difficulties, shining stars for getting economic empower. Shazia Ismail Khan’s achievements were live presented and her motivational speeches make them energetic and enthusiastic to do something in women empowering field.
The preparation for the women festival itself a grooming period for the girls to understand what our objectives to organize such vocational center in Indus river-belt area where these bad practices prevalence is high. Jaag staff as the mentor gave them a brief about issues to prepare drama/theater and they connected it to their original life-based issues which did not look like the fake or pure drama. The Theater or speeches they presented in Women Festival all the words were their own.
Abdul Rub Farooqi, Executive Director Jaag Welfare Movement conducted the Women Festival to keep them on track. Shazia Ismail Khan was the chief Guest of Women Festival. She drove the vehicle and carried the media team for coverage of the festival. The Women Festival formally started with recitation of Holy Quran & Naat. The Girls presented a Welcome skit by presenting cat-walk style dress show and spread leave of flowers over the guests.
Abdul Rub Farooqi
Abdul Rub Farooqi said, “Every girl & women have right to education, stay in safe place. Child Sexual abuse and harassment is the main hurdle to get the education”. He further explained about Child protection, the concept of the Safe circle, Private Body Parts, Good touch and Bad Touch and SAY NO to any stranger.
Shazia Ismail Khan
Shining star and symbol of encouragement & Empowerment, Shazia Ismail Khan was the Chief Guest of the festival said that if a woman takes the stand to end Gender Based Discrimination she can otherwise every woman in the rural society promoting patriarchy approach and bearing violence as this is their basic right. She said, “I face many problems in my married life, but Jaag Welfare Movement and other CSOs encouraged me to face the problem and now I have the status of empowerment in my family. No decision is being taken without my consultation in my family, community and in whole the village.
Puppet Show
Pakistan puppet & Theater group presented puppet show covering the topic of Child Marriage, Girls Education, Good Touch Bad Touch and Health & Hygiene. Puppet and Favorite Cartoon & Hero Characters performed for the entertainment of Rural Children and women. Interactive discussion with children on relative topics increases the knowledge level regarding child marriage
Theater on the issue of Child Marriage
The students of GNB Vocational Center Model Village 48/NP performed a theater on the issue of Child Marriage in relation to other topics such as Gender Based Discrimination in Education, Street harassment, and Violence. The objective behind the theater is to sensitized themselves, present the real situation of the area and communicate to the whole community that “Say NO to Child Marriage”. The script, dialogues and character selection all the things were of their own mind.
Exhibition of Clothes
The students of GNB Vocational Center prepared baby dresses and exhibit in the festival. Participants appreciated the efforts of student and staff for beautiful dresses.
Comments
Women and girls were inspired by the content of the festival, speeches, theater and puppet show. Every woman was wonderful and looking enthusiastic for women empowerment. Every woman promise to work together to end VAW and Child Marriage. Children promised to protect themselves from Sexual abuse. Iram Ghazi, brilliant and vocal student participated in all events of the festival. She was interviewed by local channel and said the women day empowering us and energize us in all respects. She said that Gender Based Discrimination and Violence is very high.
Women and students thanking you for your generous support to raise voice to end child marriage and for women empowerment.
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