After watching the Shoaib Mansoor’s latest film, Verna, on the social issue, Rape/ Zabarjinsi. We men from different segments of society have decided to stand up against rape, making it clear that all men are not rapist but many do realize the gravity of this heinous crime and launched a voluntarily nationwide campaign against rape from Islamabad to show our support for victim-women/ girls regarding rape cases.
According to the 2016-report of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), a woman is raped every two hours in Pakistan based. However, the fact is that almost 10 percent of rape cases are reported, because in most cases women do not report to the police due to several reasons. So actually, in Pakistan a woman is raped every 12 minutes.
We believe condemnation of rape, specifically by men, should be heard more clearly. We believe rape is not a crime just against women, it is a crime against society. Many men condemn rape but they do not raise their voice against it actively & collectively. That’s why it was important to design a campaign to unite men’s voices for women effectively.
Every time women or/ and women alliances only speak on this issue properly but this time we as men want to show our solidarity with women on such cases of violence (Rape) and also change the perception of the people that all men are not against women and they are also standing here to speak for women and raising their voices against male rapists/ culprits.
Pakistani women are already running national campaigns against rape for last many years. Men were required for their combined concrete actions and collective conscious responsibility to establish men’s campaign separately in order to bridge the existing gape for a rape-free Pakistan with women and particularly for women. Our conviction reflect that rape is the ugliest societal issue in Pakistan which cannot be eliminated without men’s engagement; so to strengthen women’s campaigns against rape we have launched our solidarity campaign. We are fully convinced that both women and men must combine their synergies and work together against rape. Together women and men can win the battle and make Pakistani society a Rape-Free. We men are here to strengthen our support and to amplify our voices against rape of women especially.
We are feeling great to pioneer and for spearheading Pakistan’s 1st voluntarily flagship national men’s solidarity campaign against rape as Pakistani Men Against Rape. Not all men are rapist. Men like us are against such crimes that’s why we have initiated a nationwide men’s campaign against rape.
We had given a call to all men in Pakistan through print, electronic & social media to join the campaign and separate themselves from the criminal minded aggressive men who rape and commit crimes against women and who blame women in rape cases.
Up till now we have established 40+ chapters across Pakistan {including Federally Administered Tribal Areas (ex-FATA region), Baluchistan and Gilgit Baltistan (GB)} within few weeks and its number is still growing.
We are doing everything 100% voluntarily, so in spite of limited resources we have set a unique milestone inside and outside Pakistan. We have been conducting awareness raising sessions, media conferences, panel discussions and trainings regarding our anti-rape cause as Focal Person/ Panelist/ Speaker/ Activist and Trainer in different Universities, Press Clubs, Governmental and Non-Governmental Organisations, especially with male colleagues. Moreover I have introduced/ represented this initiative in the Pakistan based diplomatic community especially among the UN and EU delegates.
We are also running a social media campaign for awareness and I have given my interviews to different TV channels and Newspapers for awareness and also participated in different TV Talk Shows where I spoke about rape laws, myths and way forward to eliminate this heinous crime. We are setting a narrative, Blame The Rapist, Not The Victim. Moreover different people/ journalists have written about our campaign in the newspapers, social media and online news sites.
Those men who are not rapist and who believe that rape is a crime and rapist is criminal can join our campaign.
Moreover, we had designed this campaign (in 2017) especially for “16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence” UN’s global campaign and in response to “#MeToo” campaign. And majority segments of the society encouraged us too much especially national and international public figures of different walks of life endorsed, appreciated and supported our unique initiative as men for women across the world. Lastly women and women rights networks/ organizations also appreciated our initiative.
Here are few photos of launching ceremonies of PMAR’s chapters: https://facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10217397517998876&type=1&l=6c2b577fee
Thanks
Haseeb Khawaja
Country Coordinator
Pakistani Men Against Rape
Islamabad, Pakistan
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Haseeb Khawaja 