Youth of Kashmir play their role and remind Obama of Kashmir

It was wonderful reading about the work of Kashmir Children Assembly (KCA) just before President Barrack Obama’s visit to India. Hundreds of young children paraded with banners and placards and addressed the press to raise voice and concerns against repression in Indian held Kashmir. Calling on the President to intervene in Kashmir to bring an end to reign of terror as the reason of 10,000 people missing expected to be killed by the Indian troops and 2,700 unmarked graves in three towns was enough a reason for intervention and the need to secure the future of the Kashmiri Children. The children who started their parade from a graveyard laid floral wreaths at the mausoleums of the freedom movement pioneers and flowers petals on the graves of the martyrs.

It was great to see children of Kashmir aware and worried over the plight of their state and actually making an effort to voice themselves. The power of youth was relived in the efforts made by KCA as they proved that the state of affairs is a matter of grave concern as youth being the future of the state is bound to get affected by these circumstances. I really hope their efforts bear fruits and their goals strengthened to securing a safer and better future for themselves, which is their right.

Visa biasness towards Pakistanis: The image of Pakistan in the international society

Pakistanis has faced a severe blow to their image in face of the recent threats of terrorism that have adversely affected the way Pakistanis are portrayed in the international society.  Pakistani visiting foreign countries are subjected to humiliation in terms prolonged waiting, checking, etc as they are eyed upon with suspicion and fear of possibility of a threat to peace and security. This generally negative image of Pakistani has been frowned upon by many Pakistanis who had to go through discrimination and pain-staking measures just because of the created image although it certainly isn’t true for all individuals residing in Pakistan.

One of the discrimination faced by Pakistani nowadays is in terms of difficulties in getting visas. The procedures made complicated stating security reasons; visa rejection has also become a common fiasco. Pakistani were denied visas during the common wealth games in India and it has also been learnt now through independent inspector John Vine that the UK Border Agency may also be illegally discriminating against Pakistani for visas to UK. Pakistan is the fourth largest source of applications to enter UK and higher evidential requirements are put up for Pakistanis which isn’t clear. They give the reason of the process being designed to target visa fraud and made ‘worryingly inconsistent visa decisions’.

In is tragic to see many suffer because of the actions of few. The finger at the Pakistanis is the finger at everyone living in Pakistan and when we collectively suffer, we need to forego the divides among us to guard our honour and dignity, correcting our image to be able to live with pride.

Insecurity in the lives of women: Bangladesh a recent example

Students of colleges and universities in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka took the streets to protest the practice of ‘Eve-teasing’ that involves sexual harassment towards women with the use of verbal abuse, taunts and stalkers. The practice is wide spread in Bangladesh and the protests were for better security of women by the government as the practice has led to women being bullied, committing suicides due to the frustration and embarrassment or being murdered due to raising voice against the injustice. The ones who harass them are usually men on the street or their own school colleagues. The accused often go unpunished because parents do not want to pursue the case due to the prevailing social stigmas and harm to the honour of the girl. Without better legislation surely the menace cannot be curbed.

Women to this day suffer being victims to violence in all broad forms. This example illustrates just how hard the life of women can be that they aren’t even able to study without being wrongly targeted. The harm of insults is surely tremendous as women chose to commit suicide and end their lives rather than live with them. The society too makes it hard for them to become bold and raise voice against them due to traditions, culture, stigmas and of course the inability of providing them justice through properly enforced law in society. Young women when faced with such violating incidents in their lives if do not commit suicide suffer from frustration, insecurity, low self-esteem and lack of confidence. In the starting phases of development if circumstances fail to give them a chance to grow the way they want it would leave a mark on them which may never be cured and in the long run would make resources for the country in terms of educated, motivated and skilled people at a loss. The story depicts the cruel side of society and a picture reinforcing the centuries of violence and inequality towards women. It however is inspiring that youth, colleges and universities girl students have took up the initiative, gathered the will and boldly accomplished a protest to raise alarm to the situation in a society where raising voices for this practice has led to 24 death in this year.

The clash of religion and politics in the Saudi Arabia

The Saudi Arabia, a state strictly adhered to following Islamic law and practices is currently faced with a hard situation. The state faces outrage due to the Islamic fatwa, religious ruling by Saudi clerics that make cashier jobs for women not permissible. Challenging the government initiative to create jobs for women as the state is faced with 60,000 women graduates looking for jobs, the ruling came in terming it not permissible due to allowing the opportunity of mixing with unrelated men and the chances to attract them or get attracted towards them. The ruling caused outrage and confusion by Saudi women activists. It is surprising though that the ruling has come in months after supermarkets and clothing stores have began hiring women under the authorization of the labour ministry.

The Saudi women are naturally to be outraged as the opportunity and possibility of getting a job for themselves in a state where there aren’t really any has faced a strong attack on it. Religion in the Saudi state has strong political weight and the clash is between political and religious society putting the government in a difficult situation over an important issues.

There are many debates that religion should be kept separate from politics as it is rather misused and being a sensitive issue causes problems of all sorts. The hurdle it has created in this situation is preventing the economic well-being and independence of Saudi women who are unable to find a job and work just because of religious fatwas. Religion is surely important and should be considered in policies to not anger or arouse the sentiments of the masses. However, its role should be rather limited to influencing decisions that are important issues in the society and call for urgent measures. Women’s rights shouldn’t be suppressed and their struggles ended with hopelessness and deadlock due to situations as these. Solutions should be discussed to find out possibilities through discussions at dialogues considering all stake holders upon implementation rather than regretting efforts later due to a certain stakeholder’s stance or action, as that too hurts and arouses the sentiments of the masses who then feel their problems are not paid heed to and it’s injustice to them.

Exhuming of Ahmadi's body from the graveyard in Bhalwal

The body of Shehzad Waraich had to be exhumed from the graveyard of Bhalwal, a small town with the population of few thousand people in Punjab’s Sargodha district on the pretext of being objected for burial in a Muslim graveyard. Ahmadis by Pakistani law are barred from calling themselves Muslims and form a minority in Pakistan. This case is another injustice to minority rights and indifferent treatment towards minorities living in Pakistan. The graveyard Shehzad was buried in is home to bodies of several members of his family including his parents and grandparents whose burial wasn’t objected to but the Pakistani police forced the exhumation of Shehzad’s body. Since 1984, this is the 30^th incident of forceful exhumation of Ahmadi bodies by the administration to satisfy opponent components and with the convenient argument of trying to maintain peace.

The Ahmadis may have controversies with the Muslim majority on the basis of their beliefs but this by no means allows humiliation of their dead bodies. Such an act nobody can tolerate happening to their loved ones therefore the sentiments of all minorities should be considered on the basis of humanity. Such acts would only promote hatred and intolerance in society. Minorities too have rights and are equal residents of the Pakistani state. People are even hesitant to comment or say what is right on such a issue but the basics shouldn’t be forgotten. Muslims are a minority in many states too and a broader thinking of humanity should be considered with law protecting all citizens of the state. Such actions only add further harm to the state and religion’s image to the world and would by no chance do any good to anyone in the long run.

Targeting Sufi Shrines: The war within Islam

Sufi shrines have been increasingly targeted in recent times. The trend initiating from 2005 when a suicide bomber attacked Bari Imam complex in Islamabad has recently targeted Rehman Baba in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Data Darbar in Lahore, Abdullah Shah Gazi in Karachi and Baba Farid Ganj-e-Shakar in Pakpattan.

Many precious lives have been lost in these attacks on sacred shrines. As it is said, it is done by Taliban who wish to wage ‘Jihad’ against people who in their opinion are adulterating the purity on Islam and follow the orthodox Islam and the Wahabi thinking. They see Sufism as a radical threat composing ‘shirk’ and accepting modernism. Targets have hence not only been made on Sufi shrines but on religious proceedings of Shiites, on Ahmedis and several religious scholars.

                          

The trend of terror to instill fear and panic in the masses and discourage them from following their faith not only tries to impose on others a certain mindset but aims a civil war based on sectarian hatred. The aims may be of weakening or distracting attention from the war on terror but the tragedies of such violence makes the life of common man quite insecure. Visitors of these shrines are usually poor people. They visit often just because of devotion and prayers and also because in this time of high inflation, they are able to secure a free meal for themselves and their families. It is one of the very few places these people have got to visit. Imagine a child going with his family for a visit to a shrine and never returning due to dying in a bomb blast. There seems no justification of the immense insecurity every common man faces and it’s unfortunate that after the incident do all the security measures seem to come in to action. Every time large gathering of people are targeted but every time there’s a loop hole for terrorists and bombers to make their attack. The ignorance to nip the evil in the bud and no accountability of people getting caught and pay with serious consequences with such actions have made these attacks common and the militants bolder to attack popular sites at bigger cities. The harms these actions do to our religion and country are immense but security is more concentrated to protect the VIPs of the state and not the common man. With so much injustice prevailing in society, peace and security is a distant dream.

Sufism, the mystical side of Islam is largely attributed to the spread of Islam in the subcontinent. The Sufis gave the message of love, peace, harmony, humanity and brotherhood. A widely popular movement that inspires people to this time. Pakistan is blessed to have so many shrines in it of great Sufis. The Taliban are surely ignorant of the message of Sufism and wanted to impose their own doctrine in the Muslim world through terror and violence but that is no way people would accept such a message bearing life long suffering due to losing loved ones for this unworthy war for power and authority. Sufism has the capacities to counter fundamentalism in Pakistan and bring about peace in society. The message of Sufism is an integral part of society and a widely accepted message. Attempts to suppress it, attacking shrines to prevent the message from spreading itself shows the importance of the message and the power it with holds within it. The work and message of these saints is not an easy one to suppress with the tool of terror however, serious steps need to be taken in this ignorant society before matters worsen and circumstances go beyond control to the benefits of a lobby of terror promoting militants.

Advocacy for SRHR

What are sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) ?

·        Sexual health: Includes healthy sexual development, equitable and responsible relationships and sexual fulfilment, freedom from illness, disease, disability, violence and other harmful practices related to sexuality.

·        Sexual rights:  the rights of all people to decide freely and responsibly on all aspects of their sexuality, including protecting and promoting their sexual health, be free from discrimination, coercion or violence in their sexual lives and in all sexual decisions, expect and demand equality, full consent, mutual respect and shared responsibility in sexual relationships. We also have the right to say ‘no’ to sex if we do not want it.

·        Reproductive health: The complete physical, mental and social well-being in all matters related to the reproductive system including a satisfying and safe sex life, capacity to have children and, freedom to decide if, when and how often to do so.

·        Reproductive rights: The rights of couples and individuals to decide freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children, to have the information, education and means to do so, attain the highest standards of sexual and reproductive health and, make decisions about reproduction free of discrimination, coercion and violence

Adapted from definitions of SRR from the programme for action resulting from the

International Conference on Population Development (ICPD), 1994.

What are the 12 SRHR??

1. The right to life should be invoked to protect women whose lives are currently endangered by pregnancy.
   
2. The right to liberty and security of the person should be invoked to protect women currently at risk from genital mutilation, or subject to forced pregnancy, sterilization or abortion.
   
3. The right to equality and to be free from all forms of discrimination should be invoked to protect the right of all people, regardless of race, colour, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family position, age, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status, to equal access to information, education and services related to development, and to sexual and reproductive health.
   
4. The right to privacy should be invoked to protect the right of all clients of sexual and reproductive health care information, education and services to a degree of privacy, and to confidentiality with regard to personal information given to service providers.
   
5. The right to freedom of thought should be invoked to protect the right of all persons to access to education and information related to their sexual and reproductive health free from restrictions on grounds of thought, conscience and religion.
   
6. The right to information and education should be invoked to protect the right of all persons to access to full information on the benefits, risks and effectiveness of all methods of fertility regulation, in order that any decisions they take on such matters are made with full, free and informed consent.
   
7. The right to choose whether or not to marry and to found and plan a family should be invoked to protect all persons against any marriage entered into without the full, free and informed consent of both partners.
   
8. The right to decide whether or when to have children should be invoked to protect the right of all persons to reproductive health care services which offer the widest possible range of safe, effective and acceptable methods of fertility regulation, and are accessible, affordable, acceptable and convenient to all users.
   
9. The right to health care and health protection should be invoked to protect the right of all persons to the highest possible quality of health care, and the right to be free from traditional practices which are harmful to health.
   
10. The right to the benefits of scientific progress should be invoked to protect the right of all persons to access to available reproductive health care technology which independent studies have shown to have an acceptable risk/benefit profile, and where to withhold such technology would have harmful effects on health and well-being.
    
11. The right to freedom of assembly and political participationshould be invoked to protect the right to form an association which aims to promote sexual and reproductive health and rights.
    
12. The right to be free from torture and ill treatment should be invoked to protect children, women and men from all forms of sexual violence, exploitation and abuse.

Source: www.wpfpak.org

How many people know about this in Pakistan? How many people know about 

the work being done and by whom on SRHR?

The SRHR situation and awareness still needs time to make its way to the masses. However, the work must go on.

On 1st October, I got the chance to host Mr. Qadeer Baig, Country Head World Population Fund (WPF) at SZABIST, Karachi to discuss the SRHR Situation in Pakistan.

WPF is an internationally organization investing in young people's development and health.

WPF-Pakistan's vision is to develop as a regional resource for promoting Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights of young people for sustainable human development. And it's mission is  to work to improve the quality of life of young people in Pakistan by promoting:

• Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR)
• Awareness of the importance of SRHR for sustainable human development
• Understanding of the central role of reproductive health in “population and development” issues

Mr. Qadeer Baig held a very informative session talking about SRHR and discussing us the situation in Pakistan. Learning from such people working for the benefit of the society is essential for it's development and the gap between the youth and the knowledge of such experienced people surely needed to be bridged.

Look forward to working on SRHR and with Mr.Qadeer Baig in the future InshaAllah :)