About The Event
Anti Ogling Campaign
Misogyny is deeply embedded in the psyche of Pakistani men. Overt and covert gender discrimination continues unabated at every level. Gender biased legislation further aids gender discrimination. Global Gender Gap Report 2015 ranks Pakistan at 144 out of 145 countries. For the past four years Pakistan ranked second last in global gender equality survey. The only country where women face worse equality issues is Yemen. It is significant that Pakistan ranked at 112 in 2006, the first year of the report, and since then, its position has been steadily deteriorating every year.
There is a constant barrage of messages in the Pakistani media, educational institutions, offices, public spaces promoting gender segregation and gender inequality. We live in a country where the most common abusive words involve a person’s mother and sister. Women are constantly compared to wrapped candy suggesting that the wrapper protects the women from flies and dust. In the same way a veiled woman won’t attract any unwanted attention and will be safe from male harassment. In fact it’s a highly derogatory analogy suggesting a woman is an irresistible food to be devoured. Not only is the comparison offensive since it basically suggests that a person with a functioning brain can be compared to a lollipop, it also suggests that an inevitable link exists between “being a wrapped lollipop” and being a good woman who by covering up prevents herself from getting ogled and harassed by men. Any discussion or debate on the issue gets hijacked by the male sexist discourse that blames the women for bringing this on themselves. This mindset holds the women responsible for male ogling and harassment as they don’t cover themselves in public, they wear make up and don’t dress modestly. Women who use public transport to commute to work or educational institutions have to deal with male ogling and sexual harassment on a daily basis. This unwanted attention and indecent remarks by the ogling men cause much discomfort and anxiety and in some cases can end a woman's chance of seeking employment or education.
Some journalists have written on this issue but our campaign will be unique as there has never been a campaign or a concerted effort to tackle this issue. Here is a quote from a newspaper article written on this issue a while ago. “Women have to take matters into their own hands if they want to feel protected, but when a society is ingrained with this disease, the battle seems fruitless at times. Many women just stay silent because they don’t want to have the issue spiral out of control. Tackling the roving eye syndrome will require radical change, through education and a shift in values to abolish such behavior. Sadly, I don’t think this problem will be rectified anytime soon. One can only hope that a majority of women will unite together to make a stand against this repulsive habit”. Another writer expressed similar views in her article in one of the English language newspapers. “I still shudder to recall a boy in that red, body-hugging, silk shirt. He would come in front of me every now and then, and make me cringe with his piercingly sharp stares. I wanted to cry and just run away from the situation. This wasn’t a first, nor was I alien to this hobby of sexually frustrated Pakistani men. I have experienced this from a very young age. It’s not just me but every other girl in this country who has this complaint and is disturbed by this behavior”.
Our campaign goes on air on Monday 18th July. The campaign messages will be aired on Power99 network as well as shared on our website and social media pages. We would invite civil society organizations, educational institutions, government departments and local businesses to come on board to support the campaign.
We anticipate some challenges too. In a male dominant society, highlighting harmful and unacceptable male behaviors is in itself a huge challenge. Furthermore women can be reluctant to share their experiences and stories due to fear of being judged by the society.
About The Organization
Power Radio FM 99
Power99 FM is a community media outlet strengthening civil society to carve out a just, humanist and progressive society through Behavior Change Communication (BCC) and Educational Infotainment.
Power99 FM’s targeted areas, being strategically important, make its interventions important and demand culture and values-sensitivity towards its targeted communities. That is why the organizations that have been working with Power99 FM had made the tangible difference!
Power99 FM from its very inception, as an independent BCC studio, raised its voice for peace, education, women rights, minorities’ rights and other advocacy issues. For that reason Power99 FM can safely claim to be the first media-based BCC organization in Pakistan that went beyond the traditional pro-establishment approach to pioneer Behavior Change Communication keeping in mind the psychological factors.
Coverage area: Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Abbotabad, Vehari and KP.
For further information visit our website
http://www.power99.com.pk
About The Organizer
Ms. Anila Ansari
Anila Ansari is a trained print and broadcast journalist. She has more than 20 years’ professional experience of working in print and broadcast media. Since joining Power99, Anila has conceptualized and developed a series of behavior change communication programmes on social, health and gender related issues.
Anila has several years of experience of developing resources and awareness campaigns. Furthermore, she has several years of community development experience, working with vulnerable, hard-to-reach and socially excluded women’s groups. She has scripted and directed short plays raising awareness of Cancer Screening programmes, mental health and domestic abuse related issues. Anila has lived and worked in the UK where she set up a women’s support group that that provides information, support, activities and a listening ear to South Asian women.
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