16 Days

Day 16 of the 16 Days Blogging Series:

I still feel the teargas' effects on me... my eyes and my nose are on fire, the voices of people are coming from different sides “wash your eyes with Pepsi”, and the voice in my head “but my face will be sticky”. I still check my Twitter timeline and search for my friends' and colleagues' tweets or the Facebook updates; recalling the unspoken code: as long as you are tweeting or facebooking then you are safe and hopefully secure.

Day 15 of the 16 Days Blogging Series:

In 2012, Shirkat Gah conducted training and awareness sessions in the Swat valley, pertaining to the impacts of war on women and their part in reconstruction efforts as recognized in the United Nations Resolution 1325. Shirkat Gah witnessed the rise of women leaders as they realized their potential for social change and called for the formation of a women’s group to work for the reestablishment of peace in the region. Thus, the group Khwendo Tolona, meaning “sister collective” was formed.

Day 14 of the 16 Days Blogging Series:

In our journey to peace, we have met different groups of people and organizations. We all have our own contexts, our own lived realities and our narratives to share. We may not meet eye to eye, and disagree on certain aspects of discussion, but we all shared one common goal. That goal is to stop violence and work towards peace. A daunting task one might say but every hardship, roller coaster ride one must take will lead us to better lives. Not just this generation but also the next to follow.

Day 13 of the 16 Days Blogging Series:

The peasant community under the rustic feudal culture of Pakistan has historically been, and remains to this day, an underclass of people suffering in one form or another from serfdom. Throughout the subcontinent’s history peasants have been exploited by the powerful elite and by the state. In Pakistan, examples of unfair and unjust treatments of peasant communities can still be seen in abundance.

Day 12 of the 16 Days Blogging Series:

On a personal level, I still cannot comprehend the closure of Salmmah, even when I talk about it. But even though our centre has been closed, I still believe that where there is a will there is a way. Through true peaceful activism we can continue to challenge the darkness of abuses and violations. I pray that as I campaign to combat violations, all WHRDs internationally are behind me and that we share our common fight for justice and equality for all citizens, especially women.

Day 11 of the 16 Days Blogging Series:

Somalia, a nation engulfed by over two decades of a brutal civil has been anything but a safe haven for women and children. During the war women, and especially young girls, were used by warring tribal factions as tools to gain advantages over one another. Fighters from these factions would brutally assault or even rape women from other clans in front of their own families as an act of vengeance.

Day 10 of the 16 Days Blogging Series:

People are struggling with a lack of freedom; university students, journalists, human rights defenders, activists and politicians can be arrested anywhere at any time because of their views and ideologies. During September 2013 over 170 people, including several children, were killed by the national security forces on the streets.

Day 9 of the 16 Days Blogging Series:

In 2009 we were given a chance to do a research on the effects of conflict on Moro women in Basilan and Sulu. It was difficult for many of us to hear their stories of deaths in the family and the trauma they have experienced. But somehow through their stories we sense their hope for a better Bangsamoro.