LARKANA – The Sindh Educational Development Society Larkana (SEDS) held a dialogue programme on ” Role of family in safeguarding rights and eliminating violence against women” at village Dost Mohammad Metlo on Sunday in context with 16 days of activism against gender violence being celebrated world wide from November 25 to December 10.
On the occasion the large number of villagers from adjoining villages also attended the dialogue program and shared their concern about women woes and Violation of their rights on the hands of their family male members.
The dialogue programme was conducted by president SEDS Mukhtiar Ahmed Samo and the panel of speakers included Ali Murad Metlo, Barkat Ali Metlo, Abrar Ali, Ali Nawaz Metlo, Zakir Hussain and Zahoor Abbass.
The panellist said our tradition did not allow us to look down upon the woman because she was source of strength for house.
They further said for attaching a respect to the women in rural areas traditionally she was equalled with the seven holy books on one hand and on the other she was beaten, disrespected and killed, which is gross violation of the moral standards as well.
By approving the capabilities of the women the speakers said if anytime a woman had been permitted to play her role on the larger scale in the society she had proved worth of it, and the history was testimony to it.
They also said that “Honour Killing” was the worst example of cruelty in which women were killed by the male family member and reason was mostly the personal grudge or property dispute but the murder was named as honour killing to save from the culprit from due punishment.
Denouncing it they said that killing could never be the cause of any honour rather it dishonour the murderer and brought him displeasure and wrath of the God and destroyed the family.
They concluded that any kind of violence and torture against woman on any pretext was illegal and inhuman and that it was a disrespect of whole of the humanity because women are human being, they must be respected and allowed to live and work with full dignity and liberty.
Earlier Mukhtiar Ahmed Samo President of Sindh Educational Development society told the gathering that 16 days of activism against gender violence was an international campaign, which had been launched in 1991 by the First Women’s Global Leadership Institute which is sponsored by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership.
The 16 days included many activities highlighting the women rights. The 16 days activism included International Day Violence against Women on November 25, International Women Human Rights Defenders Day Nov 29, World AIDS Day December 1, the Anniversary of the Montreal Massacre on December 6, and International Human Rights Day on December 10.
Source: The Nation
Date:12/3/2007
