June-July 2005

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Pakistani Rural Women Organize to End Male Domination

Meena Munir is coordinator of the Association of Women of Pakistan. Mrs. Nazish Najum is convenor of the Women's Peacemakers' Network of Pakistan. Meena Munir can be reached at abkjhang@yahoo.com, 92-471-628964.

Anjuman Bra-i-Khawatween (ABK) (Association of women) is a women's organization working in the rural areas of the Pakistani Province of Punjab for the rights and empowerment of women. ABK is an organization of women, by women and for women. ABK is committed to ending the traditional role of women as slaves and subordinates in the male dominated society of Pakistan.

For too long, we have been excluded from political, community, and family decision-making. Male domination in our society has been perpetuated through customs, traditions, and sometimes by religious teachings. Many men treat us as if they own us.

We formed ABK as a voluntary association of rural women in 1996 with our main focus on empowering women and emancipating ourselves from the clutches of male dominated society.

Our objectives are:

1. Organize and mobilize rural women around issues related to our lives;

2. Build/strengthen social institutions to support women;

3. Educate the community and public institutions about laws which -discriminate against women;

4. Organize a community movement for the total repeal of discriminatory laws.

Since its inception ABK has focused on building the capacity of rural women, not through the provision of services, but through bringing women into a process of change and empowerment. One of our essential organizing methods has been the creation of study circles which serve as a base out of which to organize women around issues of concern.

ABK has adopted the Reflect methodology to help women learn to speak up for our rights (see <www.reflect-action.org>). Reflect is a combination of Freirian methods of teaching and Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) techniques for developing plans for change (see <www.iisd.org/casl/CASLGuide/PRA.htm>).

In the Reflect Circles, literacy classes and action on issues go side by side. Participants decide what topics to study by discussing issues in our own lives. Literacy is a by-product of Reflect Circles; the primary motive is to educate and prepare for action.

ABK's study circles in the villages help women examine issues from a national and international perspective. The study circles meet twice a month and members focus on reading articles and books on women rights. At the moment 15 study circles involving 625 women are active.

ABK has also launched a community campaign to educate the community about AIDS and HIV. The project activities include a helpline for people who are HIV positive.

As our society is ill-educated about this issue, it reacts very negatively when an HIV-positive person is identified. ABK is not only increasing awareness about how we can prevent the spread of HIV but also working to change social attitudes.

To further develop our work, on International Women's Day 2005, around three hundred people gathered in Jhang city, where twenty-eight women's groups from six rural districts participated in a program focusing on, "Action Against Honor Killing" and "Promotion of the Peace Process."

It was decided to form a Women's Peacemakers Network. The Network is in the process of developing teaching tools to integrate the concepts of peace, harmony, and conflict resolution into the adult literacy classes for women in the rural areas.

Women Sit-In To Obtain Water Rights

ABK also helps mobilizes women to speak up for ourselves by addressing community problems. Mubarik abad and Madina Colony are two adjacent semi-urban towns. The towns feature a mixed population of both Christians and Muslims. The literacy rate in the area is very low and there is no government school.

ABK started working in this area in October 1999. Two women's groups were formed using our informal education program. The total number of women in the groups is 45. The groups meet every fifteen days to read a story, share health tips, and to discuss the causes and effects of social problems.

The government supplied water to these towns only once a week -- at times only once a month. The men of the towns petitioned the administrator of the municipal committee and the Army Monitoring Cell, but the authorities did not pay any attention.

The women's groups discussed the issue in the group meetings. They made a flow chart of the causes and effects of the problem. The flow chart showed that women were most affected, because when there is no water, women are the ones who fetch water from a hand pump two kilometers away.

The women of the both towns decided to meet the administrator of the Municipal Committee and those in charge of the Army Monitoring Cell.

ABK provided them the transport and arranged the meeting with the government officials. Forty women stood in front of the offices of the officials, demanding a regular water supply. The officials tried to avoid the group of women but the delegation sat down in front of their offices.

The officials began discussions, but at first only agreed to consider the situation. The women demanded that the problem be solved at once. Finally, the officials agreed to the women's demands. Since that time, the water supply to the towns of Mubarik Abad and Madina has become very regular. The women involved are very happy that they solved the problem through their joint efforts.

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