The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world – by Saria Benazir
(An article in the perspective of International Day for the Elimination of Violence against women)
According to the father of Political Science, Aristotle, A state is a “Union of families and villages”. A woman is the architect of a society & her task in the subsistence of families – as a sister, a daughter, a wife and most momentous of all, as a mother can never be dilapidated. Raising up the children in a better manner & making them useful citizens of a country is one of her leading responsibilities and certainly, the phenomenon is not uncomplicated enough to comprehend, so as to inscribe. This day, women form half of the mankind, but still, sadism against women continues in different ways. – It continues through honour killings and genital mutilation as well as domestic violence & sexual assault.
Islam forbids injustice – Injustice against women, against people & against nations. Muslim women have a special responsibility to distinguish between Islamic teachings and social taboos, spun by the traditions of patriarchal society. Moreover, this is an inkling that Muslim women are shorn of rights – That really is wrong. The girl child’s vulnerability subsists – not because of religion, but because of social prejudice. The rights, Islam gave to women have too often been denied and that is a fact that women are denied rights, all over the world, whether it’s a developing country or a developed one.
Islam treats women as beings in their own right, not as a chattel. A woman has the right to take over, divorce, receive alimony and child custody. The Prophet (PBUH) placed an end to the practice of female infanticide in pre-Islamic Arabia. The practice of killing the girl child has been denounced in the Holy Quran as:-
When news is brought to one of them, of the birth of a female child, his face darkens & he’s filled with inward grief, what shame does he hide himself from his people, because of the bad news, he had.
Shall he retain it on sufferance and contempt, or bury it in the dust.
Ah! What an evil choice, they decide on!
The words still sound true & how many women still grow up with emotional scars and burdens, due to being “Retained” in their families on “Sufferance & Contempt”.
Women have been victims of a culture of exclusion, poverty, deprivation and discrimination. In Pakistan too, even after 60 years of self-determination, brutality against women prolongs _ probably, supported by the dictators, who neither apprehend the peoples’ power or the rights, this religion has granted to women. Pakistani women suffered miserably, under the name of the “religious laws” introduced by Zia ul Haq, considering the real place of women to live behind the walls of their houses! Women, who were viciously trampled with lashes in the courts, characterized the General’s
Islamization, for in his words, “Men are in charge of women because Allah has made one superior to the other… good women are obedient.” What the pre-eminence, when God handed over his own unique attribute of creation (giving birth) to a woman, not a man. Did he- the so- religious scholar disregard that in the world hereafter, a person won’t be called by his father’s name, but by his mother’s name. Women need to be given options to toil for the wellbeing of the civilization. The detractors need to remain alive to the fact that the first convert to Islam was a WORKING WOMAN – Hazrat Khadija.
As history turns its chapter, we see women, working in every field – Today; women have earned names as pilots, professors, scientists, journalists and politicians! The greatest example’s found in our own motherland _ Mohtarmah Benazir Bhutto, twice elected as the Prime Minister of Pakistan – The first ever Muslim Woman to hold this position & today, we see Pakistan Peoples Party, electing the first ever Muslim woman, as the speaker of Parliament, Dr. Fehmeeda Mirza. We need to put an end to this prejudice & Shaheed Benazir Bhutto deserves special credit for the Empowerment of women in Pakistan.
As the Prime Minister of Pakistan, she took numerous steps to facilitate women folk to compete with men, creating Women Bank, guaranteeing small business loans to women entrepreneurs and appointing women as judges in the higher judiciary of the country. She used her office to quash centuries of discrimination against women. The Government, she led instituted a program of hiring women police officers to investigate crimes of domestic violence against the women of Pakistan and condemned those, who’d been raped. Her Government lifted the ban on women taking part in sporting events. One hundred thousand women were trained to reduce Pakistan’s population on growth levels and its newborn mortality levels. – For if the girl child is to be valued, if the wife is to say No to domestic violence, then we owe a particular commitment to creating jobs for women.
The century of ours needs to realize the very importance of women as the building blocks of a nation and to terminate the astringent credence in our societies, which regards bearing children to be the sheer rationale of her life. In the words of Martin Luther King,” A mother’s place is inside her home, but she should also make certain, she gets outside that home enough to help worth while crusades and actively mould the country her children will live in. She therefore holds a key position and her role in shaping the fate of the nation must be recognized and respected.” Moreover, we do necessitate recognizing the verity :- “The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand, that rules the world”.
Though, confrontation comes from many sectors, but we must be unwavering enough to eliminating every kind of bigotry against women and in moving forward to fulfilling our dream of a Pakistan, where women contribute to their full potential.
Excellent ! Mind blowing !
I NOW BELIEVE THAT ………….TO CREATE MAN WAS AN ACT OF BHAGAWAN,RAB,GOD .OR ALMIGHTY ACT BUT WAS NOT ONLY HIS FIRST BUT EVERLASTING MISTAKE ALSO AND FOR THIS REASON HE CHANGED HIS ROUTE AND NOW HAS NO INTEREST IN HUMAN BEING OR HIS WORD BECAUSE HE CREATED BOTH MAN AND WOMEN EQUALLY BUT MAN USING HER AS HIS TOOL
Hillary Clinton: Engage men and boys in eliminating violence against women
Ending violence against women is not the work of a day or even a year. It will require concentrated efforts on many fronts with governments, non-profit organizations, and citizen leaders all pulling together. Most importantly, it will require fully tapping the largest and most natural group of allies women have: men.
One in three women around the world will experience gender-based violence in her lifetime. In some countries, that number is as high as 70 percent. Whether it happens behind closed doors or as a public tactic of intimidation, violence against women has consequences for the entire community – men and women alike. When women are abused, businesses close, incomes shrink, families go hungry, and children grow up internalizing beliefs and behaviors that perpetuate the cycle of violence. A community that is unsafe for women is unsafe for everyone. On the other hand, protecting and educating girls contributes to economic growth and helps entire countries prosper.
So men and boys have an interest in ending violence against women. They are also uniquely positioned to help do it. In societies where women are marginalized, men can make the case for nonviolence and gender equality. They can challenge harmful cultural practices that enable gender discrimination. I often say that we need to empower women because no country can make economic progress if it leaves half the population behind. It’s just as true that no country can stop violence against women with the other half of the population sitting on the sidelines.
There are stories from all over the world demonstrating how men and boys can get involved and speak out against gender-based violence. One group based in Senegal, Tostan, has taken this approach to changing the dangerous custom of female genital cutting. This severely painful practice can cause hemorrhaging, infection, increased risk during childbirth, infertility, or even death. Tostan learned that abandoning this centuries-old tradition needed to be a collective and community-led decision with the participation of male leaders. So they organized a discussion for the entire village where men and boys could hear their mothers and sisters describe the pain and health problems associated with it. Eventually, the village voted to end the practice.
But the story doesn’t end there. The male leaders then traveled to other villages to explain how harmful female genital cutting is, and those villages also voted to end the practice. Within two years, Senegal’s government passed a law banning it, and today Tostan has helped nearly 5,000 communities across Senegal, Guinea, The Gambia, Burkina Faso, and Somalia decide to abandon the tradition.
In Afghanistan, male civic and religious leaders are helping raise awareness and change deeply ingrained attitudes about women. The example of a local Mufti in Jalalabad is particularly striking. For years, he taught his followers that human rights were a western imposition that violated Islam. Then he attended a training workshop with 250 other local Afghan leaders focusing on the rights of women, family, and children in the context of Muslim teachings. Their discussions highlighted the benefits of gender equality and the importance of respect and tolerance for diversity in Islam. Today that Mufti has not only changed his beliefs, he frequently speaks out on rights-based issues during Friday prayer services and on his regional radio program. He has become a powerful voice supporting women in Afghanistan.
At the United States Department of State, we are taking action on the ground: working with NGOs to ensure men’s engagement in preventing violence against women, promoting women’s economic and entrepreneurial opportunities, and training peacekeepers on gender-based violence awareness and prevention activities. In places like the Democratic Republic of Congo, where mass rape is blatantly and repeatedly used as a weapon of war, we are helping make sure that both men and women are working to investigate sexual violence and prioritize the
protection of women and girls.
November 25th is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. It is a day to recommit ourselves to the cause of changing attitudes and ending all forms of violence against women. This year also marks the 15th anniversary of the UN Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing where the world declared the critical connection between women’s rights and human rights, and the 10th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on the links between women, peace, and security. This is a stark reminder that eliminating gender discrimination and violence against women is a long-term struggle and a commitment we must all make together. With men and women working hand in hand, we can end the epidemic of gender-based violence, one person and one community at a time.
http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Hillary+Clinton+Engage+boys+eliminating+violence+against+women/3884477/story.html
Women play pivotal role in country’s development: Shazia Marri
KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Tourism Shazia Marri said that women play a pivotal role in a country’s development.
She said this while talking to media men here on Thursday on the day commemorating the elimination of violence against women.
Shazia Marri said that Nov 25 is the day to mark the elimination of all forms of violence against women. She was of the view that it is our responsibility as civilised individuals to help those who are facing violence of any kind.
Shazia was of the view that the most important role that any woman plays is the one at home but unfortunately she is never paid for it. There is also no appreciation of the hard work she puts in.
The minister said that this day also marks the significant role of women as family labour. We condemn all forms of domestic violence against women, she said.
Shazia said that Pakistan was a signatory to Convention on Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto envisioned the fulfillment of this commitment, which is being implemented today.
She further stated that right from the vision of our founding fathers to the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan, which guarantees equal participation of women in all national spheres, there is nothing that can stop our women from achieving their desired goals.
Pakistani women are courageous and they have proved their mettle in all fields and all professions, she added.
However, Shazia said that there still is a mindset that works against the empowerment of women.
She said that the women are abused and victimized in an attempt to undermine their potential.
Shazia said that the present democratic government was cognizant of such anti-women mindset and continues to fight against it. She said that Islam is a religion of tolerance.
She said that Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) firmly believes in women empowerment and is religiously working in light of the vision given by Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.
She expressed her pleasure over the release of Myanmar leader Aung San Suy Ki and highly appreciated her struggle for democracy in her country.
She said that the real strength of Pakistan lies in the development of women.
Shazia said that the Quaid’s message stands true today and it is from this that we must derive inspiration.
We must all unite against those who undermine our strength and together build a society with zero tolerance for any form of violence against women, she further said. app
UN official calls for action against violence on women
November 25, 2010
Accra, Nov. 25, GNA – A senior European Union official, on Thursday, called on the international community to work harder to counter violence against women worldwide.
The EU High Representative, Catherine Ashton, in a declaration made on behalf of the EU on International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, which falls on Thursday, said violence against women and girls was probably the most “widespread human rights violation of our time”.
She noted that the violence claimed millions of victims each year and cuts across age, socio-economic, educational and geographic boundaries and affected all societies.
“Sexual violence and rape as a tool of war, brings about grave suffering and undermine peace-building as well as economic development,” Ashton said.
She pointed out that the 10th anniversary of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 was an opportunity to strengthen the fight against sexual violence, to empower women to take action in securing peace and to bring perpetrators to justice, saying the EU was ready to lead by example.
Ashton stressed that violence against women was by no means a problem limited to conflicts.
“Eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls is a priority for the European Union. I urge all countries to step up their fight against impunity and to protect and reintegrate victims of violence.”
Ashton said these included women and girls affected by harmful traditional practices such as female genital mutilation, female infanticide and pre-natal sex selection, as well as victims of domestic violence, which was one of the most common and least visible forms of violence against women.
She pledged that the EU would support third world countries in their efforts.
Ashton said the establishment of a new UN entity, the “UN Women,” dedicated to women’s rights and gender equality, should help bolster the capacity of the international community to counter violence against women, adding that she was looking forward to a close collaboration with UN Women.
GNA
Pakistan: UN addresses gender-based violence against flood victims
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is seeking to prevent and respond to gender-based violence against women and girls among the more than 20 million victims of Pakistan”s recent floods, the country”s worst natural disaster in living memory.
“Crises like the floods that inundated much of the country in August break down social networks and systems that normally protect women and girls, such as cohesive families, livelihoods, and safe shelter,” UNFPA said in a news release today, noting that it is providing financial and technical aid for health care and psychosocial support to victims of such violence.
“Displacement creates a host of risk factors that increase the vulnerability of women and girls to many forms of violence. The rights, needs and vulnerabilities of women and girls are sometimes overlooked in emergencies, when many humanitarian actors are focused on reaching a large number of people in the shortest period of time,” it added.
“There is a great need to recognize that gender-based violence can, and very often does, occur in these situations and to build survivor-centred response services.” The floods, which began in late July, killed nearly 2,000 people and caused $9.7 billion in damages to infrastructure, homes, crops and livestock.
The subject of gender-based violence is sensitive in most societies, and particularly so in Pakistan, where it is rarely discussed, said UNFPA. Programmes that address the problem do so discretely, but experts say there is a huge gap in service provision.
UNFPA has undertaken capacity-building initiatives in Khyber Pakhtunkwa, Punjab and Sindh provinces, introducing participants and future trainers from Government and humanitarian agencies to basic principles to fight the scourge, including case management, using a confidential, survivor-centred, and comprehensive approach.
As part of a coordinated inter-agency response, UNFPA and the UN Children”s Fund (UNICEF) are co-leading response and prevention efforts. Donors have provided over $1 million to UNFPA to support such services.
Meanwhile, UNICEF reported today that in one of the flood-devastated rural areas, Shadatkot in Sindh, the waters caused near-total destruction with returnees finding no homes, food, schools or livelihoods. A UNICEF mission early this week found that while the majority of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) were returning in Sindh, stagnant flood waters continued to block some.
Over 270 schools were still being used for shelter, housing some 40,000 people, while an additional 54,000 IDPs, including over 31, 000 children, remained in camps in Balochistan province, UNICEF spokesperson Marixie Mercado told a news briefing in Geneva.
The November 2010 Damage and Needs Assessment, conducted by the Pakistani Government, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, estimated overall flood recovery and reconstruction costs at between $8.7 billion and $10.8 billion.
UNICEF has provided 2.8 million people with clean drinking water on a daily basis, along with vital sanitation and hygiene facilities and 10 million vaccines, and set up or helped maintain hundreds of treatment centres for malnourished children and women.
To date, UNICEF has received $169 million of its $251 million appeal and Ms. Mercado warned that unless the remaining third was received, UNICEF’s emergency and recovery operations would be affected as of January, with an impact on all aspects of its activities. Even before the floods, 40 per cent of children in Pakistan were underweight, she noted.
Source: UN News