On March 8, 2016 RAWA member Heela Faryal attended a one-day organized by Tehrik-e-Niswan in Karachi, Pakistan. The conference titled “Hum Auraten (We, the Women) – No More Violence”, was organized by Sheema Kermani, founder of Tehrik-e-Niswan, and attended by 600 people, mostly young girls and political activists.
The participants included Pakistani and Indian female political activists, government and parliament officials, and lawyers. Prominent participants included Tahira Abdullah, Mukhtaran Mai, Kainaat Somroo, Rashmi Talwar, Marvi Sirmed.
The conference revolved around the different issues women in the region face. Discussions ranged on the following issues: “Violence and Health”, “Social and Cultural violence”, “Domestic Violence”, and “Sexual Violence and Rape”. The event was marked by several wonderful performances directed by Sheema Kermani and performed by her students. The RAWA member spoke about the gruesome forms and unprecedented levels of violence against women in Afghanistan today. Holding the fundamentalists responsible for all the violence against women and the west for supporting them she said:
"Islamic fundamentalism comes in many brands and forms but is the same thing in essence: killers and misogynists created, and almost always funded by foreign sponsors to further their interests in other countries. Afghan women have been burning in the inferno of these Islamic fundamentalists for the past three decades."
"The 'National Unity Government' is headed by long-time CIA mercenaries Ashraf Ghani and the Abdullah Abdullah, after John Kerry brokered a deal. Abdullah Abdullah is one of the leaders of the most infamous fundamentalist parties of Afghanistan, Shoraye Nizar."
"Afghanistan’s current government, Parliament, and judiciary are occupied by the most criminal, traitorous, and heinous fundamentalists. Most of them are members of Jehadi fundamentalist parties who are implicated in grave war crimes but enjoy the highest positions in the state and the unconditional backing of western powers today. The highest posts of the government are occupied by warlords and commanders of these fundamentalist parties such as Abdul Rashid Dostum, Atta Mohammad Noor, Mohammad Mohaqiq, Sarwar Danish, Ustad Murad, Ahmad Khan, Alimi Balkhi, Taj Mohammad Mojahid, Masoon Stanikzai, Ferozuddin Feroz, and others. The Parliament has attempted to legalize stoning to death for adultery, wife-beating, and honor killing. The misogynist judiciary has passed anti-women sentences, blocking all paths for women to seek help from. for Most of the women in Afghan jails were sentenced for ‘moral crimes’ such as running away from home from a cruel husband, eloping, and others. Countless cases of public lashing and executions have been carried out by mock courts of local warlords and Mullahs in all parts of Afghanistan."
"According to the UN, the Taliban’s reach is widest today since 2001. Their crimes are well-known to the world. They continue to publicly execute, lash, and stone women for moral crimes in kangaroo courts. The brutal stoning of 19-year-old Rukhshana was one such case that surfaced on the media."
"If this was not enough, the branch of ISIS in Afghanistan has begun taking root and already started committing its atrocities."
The event was ended by putting to vote the Charter of Demands of Tehrik-e-Niswan.
March 8, 2016: Sheema Kermani introducing her Tehrik-e-Niswan. Sheema is one of the best performers and dancers in Pakistan has directed countless plays to portray the horrific situation of the women of Pakistan. She had previously worked with RAWA, training RAWA members for performances on two events. (Photo: RAWA.org)
March 8, 2016: Heela Faryal speaking with Marvi Sirmed about violence against women in Afghanistan. (Photo: RAWA.org)
March 8, 2016: Heela Faryal with Tahira Abdullah, Mukhtaran Mai, and Marvi Sirmed. (Photo: RAWA.org)
March 8, 2016: With Rashmi Talwar from Indian and Mukhtaran Mai. (Photo: RAWA.org)
March 8, 2016: Kainat Somroo speaking about her painful case and lack of justice for rape victims in Pakistan. (Photo: RAWA.org)
March 8, 2016: Sheema Kermani’s students gave several powerful performances depicting violence against women in Pakistan. (Photo: RAWA.org)
March 8, 2016: Violence against women in Pakistan. (Photo: RAWA.org)