Voice up to arrange its first Open Mic Discussion on " Sex & Gender"

Voice Up has arranged its 1st Open Mic Discussion on the theme Sex & Gender on 13th dec, 2016
where anyone can come and present their ideas on the given theme. Shreya Tanisha, the founder of Indus Peace Project, born in India and a recent graduate from University of Edinburgh will be the guest speaker for open mic session. She lived in over seven different countries and can confidently identify as a third culture kid. Moreover, despite of having a strong interest in Indian Society she believes in social change as well.All Registrations will be made on spot.
The registration fee for the speakers is PKR200/-
The registration fee for the attendees is PKR100/-

PHC Moved Against Deletion Of Specific Column For Transgender In Census Form

The transgender community has moved a constitutional petition before the Peshawar High Court against the deletion of a specific column for them in the form of the upcoming national Census.

Speaking at a news conference in Peshawar press club on Monday before submitting the petition in the high court, TransAction Alliance president Farzana said that the Census form initially had a column for transgender under the head of disabilities to which civil society had objected.

She said the government instead of rectifying it, deleted the entire column and now the Census form had columns only for male and female while there is no mention of intersexual and transgender.

Farzana, a transgender herself, said that the Census without documenting the trans population could wipe out the community from the development agenda of the government.

“If we are not counted in the upcoming Census, how the provincial and federal governments would make policies for us,” she argued.

The transgender community through the petition has requested the court to stay the upcoming Censes till the form is amended and a specific column for the trans people is included in it.

It is further prayed that NADRA should also be directed to provide NIC to transgender persons as per their self-identified sex.

Farzana, whose organization TransAction works for the rights of transgender, said the successive government had made tall claims of protecting the rights of transgender, but in reality, they were not ready to give identity to the trans people.

“TKP government says there are only 300 trans people in the province, whereas according to our statistics, there are more than 7000 transgender only in Peshawar,” she claimed.

“The exact data needs to be collected. The government should ascertain the precise number of female and male transgender,” she maintained.

"I have a request. Please stop labeling the blind as “special people”. We are every bit as normal as anyone else.", Dr. Kamal

I was stricken by meningitis in 1968 when I was a high school student aiming to become an aeronautical engineer. It robbed me of my eyesight completely and I had to adapt my life according to the new situation. In those days, there were no course books in Braille. I would ask my friends to come over to my house, read, and record the textbooks in a tape recorder. I would play them to learn the material.

I completed my master's program this way and started working as a lecturer in Forman Christian College. In 1993, I enrolled at Punjab University and became the first blind student to get an MPhil in English.

I got the Fulbright scholarship for a PhD relatively late in my life - just eleven years ago when I was in my 50s, which is normally the age when people retire. Before my doctorate studies began, I undertook a phenomenal program that teaches independent living. It was in a facility in Minnesota known as BLIND, Inc, a nationally renowned foundation that offers training programs for empowering blind individuals. These independent living skills were extremely valuable and something which isn’t taught in Pakistan. It gave me tremendous freedom. I could do just about every task on my own, including cooking for myself and sometimes for my friends in the US!

The Fulbright experience and living in the US gave me an appreciation of how accommodating, thoughtful and considerate American people are and how much they respect the white stick. Independent living for the blind is a reality over there. Every store will have a shopping assistant who can direct you and accompany you to the right aisle. People can travel across the city and on the subway alone with their white stick unobstructed. This is a difficult and impossible scenario in Pakistan because pavements are always blocked with someone or something and people have no regard for the white stick. People have an attitude of pity with the blind. Rather than encouraging and facilitating a blind person travelling alone, they will recommend staying at home and not hampering their safety by venturing out.

I have a request. Please stop labeling the blind as “special people”. We are every bit as normal as anyone else. We are merely differently-abled. We also have the talent to excel at our professions if we are given the right training. I have mentored several blind as well as sighted students who now have illustrious careers. I lead a very fulfilling life. I have a loving and supportive family, and I look forward to going home and playing with my grandchildren every day.

Dr. Kamal Ud Din
Professor of English, Forman Christian College
Fulbright PhD Scholar (2005-2008)
PhD in English Literature, Indiana University of Pennsylvania
(Professor Kamal Ud Din specializes in Modern African American feminist poetry. He has the distinction of being the first visually impaired candidate to complete his PhD with the Fulbright scholarship within a period of three years)

Event regarding social exclusion of transgenders in LUMS

In October, in an event Ayesha Imran Murtaza, a guest lecture talked about social exclusion of transgenders and mentally challenged people at Lahore University of Management sciences (LUMS); one of the leading university of Pakistan with Ashi (a transgender). A success story of Akhuwat- Fountain House Transgender rehabilitation program was also shared. About 100 students participated. Dr Ahsan Rana was the host for the great academic initiative.

                                            "Glimpses of the event at LUMS"

Aashi and her heart wrenching story

Courtesy: "Spread The Word"

                                                           "Aashi at 22"

Aashi was around eight years old when she first started to show the signs of being a transgender. She was her father's beloved son. She instead of playing outside with boys in the streets of Ichra, Lahore; used to play with her sisters and helped them broom the house and in kitchen.
Aashi's family was well off and were educated: her father was an inspector and her two elder brothers were lecturers. She was loved by her family, neighbours and friends. She would go to school with high hopes and aims. Her father was a very social person who was known by a lot of people, for him having a transgender in family was a shame: he would rather kill his son then to accept him as a transgender.
When she was twelve life took a turn: her father would beat her and force her to play outside with her brothers. Her brothers would not play with her because of the shame they felt in front of other boys. No one would sit with her in school and some teachers used to make her sit in the corner. All of this seclusion made an escape from her home imminent.
She started talking to transgenders who begged, they welcomed her very cordially. Soon the love and acceptance given to her, forced her to escape with another transgender to Karachi. She was free: she could wear makeup, dance, dress beautifully like a girl; everything felt enchanting, bright and beautiful. Soon this also came to an end. She was under the one of the heads of the transgender communities in Karachi who was known as Haji. Haji started taking her to feudal lords; where Aashi started to dance and fulfilling the perverted desires of the feudal lords. The world again became gloomy and dull for her; she never wanted to be a slave: who would work as a prostitute and give whatever she earned to Haji.
When she was twenty-two she broke the chains, attached to her by Haji who would threaten her that she will be killed by her if she escaped or didn't follow her commands. She escaped to Lahore and would dance in parties and beg: she might have fled from Haji but she still was miserable and vulnerable because she didn't have any other skill she could practice freely.
One day when she was dancing in a party she saw some familiar faces. Her father and two elder brothers came here in search for her. They have been combing transgender communities since she escaped from home, they found her and took her home not because they were ready to accept her but because her mother's mental condition was deteriorating due to the loss of her beloved child.
Aashi took the responsibility of tendering her mother, Aashi had learned to sew clothes on congenial basis and used to sew her clothes and had once opened a tailor shop but couldn't practice it for longer because people started throwing stones in her shop but this time she welcomed by Dr. Amjad Saqib, founder of Fountain House, to open a tailor shop within the premises of Fountain House.
Aashi was not only able to earn for her mother and for herself but was also able to pay Rs. 600,000 for the surgery of her brother.
Aashi's life is a lesson for the everyone, if Aashi was accepted by her parents by people she would never have been a prostitute or a beggar instead she could have completed her education and could've self-actualized at an early age. She is also an example for the transgender community that working hard enough and speaking for yourself will get them a respected place in the community.
Aashi wishes to have a respected place for transgender community if not in her life then, through her story as an example, in future. She also wants government to have a subject or topic about transgenders in school curriculum so that more awareness about transgenders and the problems they face could be raised.
("Spread the Word" and "Azaad Pakistan" organizations are raising fund's to train and empower many transgenders out there like Aashi. Your RS 1500 can empower a transgender to take charge of his/her life and earn bread. To support contact: 03216111557 --)

Students being outcast-ed in schools due to religious beliefs.

Mrs. Kausar Alvi a Science teacher at Crescent Model School, Lahore on asking about students being bullied or outcast-ed at schools reported a case in which a grade 3 students was treated as an outcast in class because "he came from a christian family and shared different religious beliefs. Since, he was the only christian student in the class and was left all alone in the lunch break, Children use to avoid sharing their lunch with him and the worst part was that they refused to share glass with him to drink water"

Press Conference Organized by TransAction

On November 25th a press-conference was held by "trans- Action". Performing Ummrah and Visiting Holy Places is transgender community's right. Transgender Community of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa challenges the Saudi ban. The members of the Trans Action Alliance called govt. of Pakistan for “root-and-branch” reform for the way public institutions deal with transgender people and said the government should formulate a comprehensive strategy to address the issue within six months.
                                         
                                          "Glimpses of the Press Conference"

Transgender activist dies after being 'denied treatment' for gun wounds in Pakistan hospital.

A Pakistani transgender activist who was shot and allegedly deprived of hospital treatment died of her wounds on Wednesday, the latest victim of a wave of violence against the community. The transgender female, known as Alesha, was shot eight times in Peshawar on Sunday night during an altercation between a group of men and several transgender people. Immediately following the shooting, Alesha was transported to the nearby Lady Reading Hospital, where it is alleged she was ignored by doctors and refused access to either the male or female wards following complaints from staff and patients. Alesha had worked as a coordinator for Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Trans Action Alliance, an advocacy organisation in Pakistan’s northwestern province, and was the fifth member of the group to be attacked this year.The group claims it is being targeted by an organised criminal gang, which extorts money from the transgender community and has even forced members to make pornographic films.

HIV positive widow struggles to provide for her children.

I hid my disease from my children until I thought they were old enough to handle the news. They were furious at first because they feared they would be stigmatized because of my condition, since AIDS is considered to bring shame to a family. They were also afraid that they could contract the disease from me. But, they settled down after we talked about it,” she says.
Jamila’s 13-year-old son, Muhammad Waqar, is an eighth grade student at a high school for boys, while her 15-year-old daughter, Sonia, is a tenth grade student at a high school for girls. Fortunately neither one is infected with HIV/AIDS. Zahir was infected by a syringe when working as a doctor at a local city hospital. When he became ill, his brother took him to the hospital, where he tested positively for AIDS. While Zahir’s siblings and relatives were informed of his condition, Jamila was not. Sadly, Zahir died just two months later.
Since then, Jamila’s life has continued to change for the worse. “My in-laws do not treat me well and don’t allow me to do work around the house because they think I will transmit this disease to them. But I want to work,” says Jamila.
“When my children get sick, I cannot take them to the hospital for treatment because I have no source of income. My mother, brother and sisters pay for what they can of my children’s medical treatments,” says Jamila. 

Alisha; another life succumbed to society's intolerance

Alisha was shot 9 times from a point blank by a gangster in Peshawar. She was denied medical help in Lady Reading Hopsital (LRH) beacause of her gender identity. Doctors could not decide in two days whether to admit her in a male or female ward. She was operated outside a lavatory and was left in a veranda for 16 hours
Alisha Died. (RIP).
In the glimpses below she could be seen giving her last interview at a sit-in in Peshawar.

"While giving an interview to Channel 92 Reporter"

"At an event"

"Fellow members mourning Alisha's loss"

"A severely wounded Alisha; battling between life & death at the hospital where she was denied to be treated like a normal citizen"

KPK to introduce comprehensive policy for welfare of transgender people.

In the wake of transgender activist Alisha’s death in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Mushtaq Ghani on Friday announced that a comprehensive policy will beannounced in the upcoming budget for the welfare of transgender community.
The announcement came two days after Alisha, a 23-year-old transgender activist and coordinator of Trans Action Alliance who was shot six times by a gang, died after neglect and discrimination at the city’s Lady Reading Hospital."A comprehensive policy will also be introduced for security, residence and employment of transgender people",
Mushtaq Ghani speaks to media in Peshawar.

NGOs to protest for transgender rights, Peshawar.

Human rights organisations will hold a sit-in on Wednesday (today) after they failed to receive a positive response from the government and United Nations on policy to protect the rights of people who are transgender.
The sit-in will take place on Sher Shah Suri Road outside Peshawar Press Club. An alliance of Trans Action, Blue Veins, Pakhtunkhwa Civil Society Network, Tribal NGOs Consortium and FATA Commission of Human Rights have organised the protest. Trans Action head Farzana said, “People who are transgender are the most oppressed and marginalized people of society.” She added, “Even strategies to end gender-based violence exclude the problems being faced by people who are transgender.”

Smile Again Foundation to arrange weddings of Acid Attack survivors.

Smile Again Foundation is holding a Wedding Season 2016 on 9 December. Several Brave girls are going to get Married who survived acid attacks.These weddings will be fully funded by Depilex Smile Again foundation which has been working for years to bring smiles upon the faces to these acid victims.
For details Contact:  +92-42-35692875
Venue: Building No 135, CCA , Sector DDPhase IV, DHA, Lahore, Pakistan

Farzana Jan visits House of Ambassador, Denmark

President of Trans Action Alliance Farzana Jan visited the House of Ambassador of Denmark. She commented, appreciated and encouraged the performances by Trans Actvisits.

Five people arrested in Sialkot after a video of a man brutally beating a transgender.

In Sialkot a video went viral on social media in which a man was beating a transgender. The public at large was appalled at the horrifying video which was shared thousands of times and now laws are being demanded for the protection of transgender community.In the video of that horrific incident, the offender, identified as Jajja Butt, is seen holding down a transgender by his feet and beating her with a leather belt. At one point he is seen holding her down by her neck and twisting her arm. A transgender present at the scene told police officers that Jajja Butt and his gang members had come to demand extortion money and when the family refused to submit to their demand, they started torturing the victim.

In Islamabad, a mosque for "transgender community".

If you are a transgender person in Pakistan, everything is a fight. They must even fight for the right to be represented on their national identity cards, and be recognized in census forms, and, due largely to cultural rather than religious reasons, they are told that they are not allowed in mosques.But that may soon change, as a group of transgender activists are trying to build a mosque on the outskirts of the capital, where they would be able to pray without falling prey to social stigmas.
"We are Muslims, but we are not allowed to enter a mosque,” said a transgender woman who is currently raising funds for the Rehmatul Alameen mosque in the Bari Imam area.
“In our society, people only think of transgender women to be sex objects, so they don’t want to allow us to enter mosques to offer prayers,”

KPK assembly passes a resolution concerning voting rights of transgenders

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly has passed a resolution for the political empowerment and voting rights of Transgnder persons in KP. The resoulation was presented by Amna Sardar of PML(N).Thanks to DRI Joint Working Group. Mairaj Hamayun, Women Cacus and KP assembly.

KP Assembly become the first to discuss transgender vote rights and ultimately resolution passed to protect fundamental and political rights of the transgender community. it is hoped that ECP will utilize all his potential for better and smooth facilitation to ensure greater numbers of voter registration of transgender before next general election. It is a commendable job done by MPA Miss Meraj Humayun of QWP, MPA Amna Sardar of PML-N, MPA Fozia- JUI-F and MPA Munawar Khan Advocate JUI-F, and similarly credit also goes to KP Joint working groups of CSO and legislators for making this happen.

Tanzim Ittehade-i-Ummat, Lahore Fatwa allows transgender marriage.

At least 50 clerics affiliated with a little known Tanzeem Ittehad-i-Ummat have issued a fatwa (religious decree) that marriage with a transgender person is lawful.The fatwa, released on Sunday, said a transgender person having “visible signs of being a male” may marry a woman or a transgender with “visible signs of being a female” and vice versa.But, the fatwa added, a transgender person carrying “visible signs of both genders” may not marry anyone.The fatwa ended with a word on last rites, declaring that all funeral rituals for a transgender person will be the same as for any other Muslim man or woman.The clerics who issued the fatwa included Imran Hanfi, Pir Karamat Ali, Abu Bakr Awan, Masoodur Rehman, Tahir Tabassum Qadri, Khalil Yousafi, Gul Ateequi, Gulzar Naeemi, Intikhab Noori, Abdul Sattar Saeedi and Khizarul Islam.

Event on the protection of Transgenders' rights

In this event the issue of Trans protection would be addressed. Contact the organizers directly for confirmation of your Participation.

Fast Care to organise a fun raising event for Transgenders and Acid Victims.

Fast Care is a non profit organization which took an initiative to help make this earth a better place by providing our care and support to those who are neglected by our society.They aim to create a respectable society and to give exposure to the 'normal' people in Pakistan about the reality of the transgenders that is evident in our society.This is the reality that we chose to ignore living our day-to-day lives. moreover, they decided together to support  Transgenders ,Acid Attack Victims and Demand Education for all in the mega Event "CareForAll".
along with a fundraising concert held from 5pm to 8pm of Mr. Rizwan Butt from Coke Studio Season 9.
In order to Support the cause contact the numbers provided below:
Hania Batool (Founder): 03224958648
Talha Waheed (President): 03222274422
Danish Murtaza (Vice President): 03225744755
Venue: Fast NUCES Lahore Campus

Sialkot: Jajja Butt thrashes transgender people, shaves their heads.

Danda Group is now beating up the transgender people for doing their independent shows and is getting them thrashed by bandits. Jajja Butt thrashed the transgender people and shaved their heads as well. However, police knew nothing about the incident. Danda Group has forbidden the transgender community to do any functions without its permission. Jajja Butt and his aide picked four transgender people Adeeba, Dillagi, Hina and Adil from Daska and took them to Phool’s den in Kotli, where they beat them up mercilessly.Five other transgender people including Shanaya were kidnapped from Sialkot and their heads were shaved at Azeemu’s den in Kotli. Jajja Butt has also threatened the transgender community of similar treatment if they are found involved in similar activities again.

Guria; another innocent life lost

On 9th December, a transgender individual Guria was shot dead in the area of Islam Nagar by accused Rana Shakil in Fasilabad. The civil lines police registered a case against the accused under Section 302.

Being Unpopular at College" makes me feel outcast-ed socially"

There are two types of people among those who survived College at some time in their lives. Those who miss College, and those who dont. Those who miss their college time  are the ones who peaked in college, they were probably popular , had lots of friends and perhaps excelled in something whether that is sports or art. Along with these students there are peope who are kind of un popular and feel themselves as an socially outcast person. Anum Arif, a students of commerce shares her experience at Kinnaird College, Lahore:
"I've  always been that girl that is just there, not pretty, not loud , not fun, introvert, lame and ugly. I never had a boyfriend or any guy to actually find me attractive on the other hand there were other girls who went through many break ups and boyfriends and experienced the whole teenage love life."

Another Trans Death in KPK.

On 14th December another transgender individual lost her life. Payal; student of the local board member Chocolate is stabbed in Sawat, Khyber Pakhtunkwa. She did receive medical attention. The Police has yet not lodged the FIR but has taken an application. The local police station is forcing the other members of the community to compromise with the attackers who belong to a local criminal group of Swat and well known for extortion,killing and abductions.

The Gender Revolution

National Geographic will be covering the "Gender Revolution" in a special issue on January 2017 issue. On the cover features a transgender girl with the captioning "The best thing about being a girl is, now I don't have to pretend to be a boy." There is mention that the article will have a segment about intersex people too.

Voice up Organization to arrange a workshop again on intersex at BNU.

BNU Feminist Community and Beads in alliance with Voice Up have arranged another educational workshop and theatrical play on intersex The organization focuses on protecting and expanding rights of the most marginalized communities of the country, most notably advocating for equality, anti-discrimination and hate crimes legislation.Moreover,The play would be on the miserable life of an intersex who has been thrown out of his home and been ridiculed by the society. And how he gets his answers by Allah about how perfect he is.The workshop is based on to eliminate the confusions between the transgenders and intersex people.
Venue : SLASS Auditorium

"Kami Sid" becomes the First Transgender Model of Pakistan:

Many people already know Kami Sid as an activist who has worked tirelessly for the transgender community in Pakistan.The social worker has now decided to step into the fashion world and become Pakistan's first transgender model. In a photo shoot by Waqar J Khan, Sid Kami looks poised and elegant."When Waqar, who is also a friend of mine, approached me to do the shoot, I was totally on board but unsure about how it would do. I just feel it's a great platform and opportunity for me to not only explore my talents but also represent the transgender community with dignity in front of mainstream society," shares Kami.
"If I'll get more opportunities to represent myself in fashion shoots or weeks, like Mukhtaran Mai, I'll definitely avail them. The transgender community has remained backstage for too long, doing makeup or other errands. By now we should be able to come forward and let people know that we too are a force to be reckoned with."Kami reveals that although her dream wasn't to become a model, it will help the transgender community for her to appear in mainstream media

Depilex Smile Again Foundation to arrange a workshop for Acid Burnt Victims

Acid attack victims have long been rejected in our society. The victims of acid attack are overwhelmingly women and children, and attackers often target the head and face in order to disfigure and blind. Acid has a devastating effect on the human body, often permanently blinding the victim and denying them the use of their hands. To be a support for these Acid attack victims Depilex Smile Again Foundation ran by Mussarat Misbah is going to arrange a workshop for such burnt victims on 2nd Nov, 2016. This is an open workshop for counseling and medical assistance of burnt victims.
Contact: 042-35890003
Timings:11:00 a.m.
Venue: DSF Head Office, building no 135 DD, DHA phase 4, Lahore.

ARY Digital to start a new Drama regarding Intersex in our Society.

Every human being in this world is God’s creation. Indeed God loves all its being equally, yet we humans tend to create the boundaries of gender.Is there any shame of having a child with disabilities like crippled, blind etc? Then why is THIS considered as taboo and disgrace having a transgender as a child? In order to change this mindset of society ARY Digital Starting New Darama "Khuda Mera Bhi Hai" with a bold topic of the society which is starting from 5th nov,2016 every saturday at 8.p.m

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Transgender in court against man-handling

A transgender has approached the Lahore High Court on 26th,Nov 2016 for enforcement of his community’s fundamental rights, including enrollment in upcoming census and national identity cards with mentioning the gender. Waqar Ali, the transgender, filed a writ petition through Advocate Sheraz Zaka pleading that the transgender community has been marginalized as a recent event witnessed in Sialkot where a transgender was maltreated.The petitioner stated that being transgender they were not respected by society and even their parents did not own them due to social pressure and stigma. He said the transgender community should be allowed to mention their gender in national identity cards and they must be registered in census.He sought protection for the transgender community in performance of religious obligations like Haj and Umrah.

"I felt as a social outcast for not having the perfect Londoner accent." says Sundas Suleyman.

Sundas Suleyman is 22 year Pakistani British woman currently living in Northampton and is studying to be a Podiatrist. She moved to London with her family back in 2008. Born and bred in Lahore for 13 years of her life, she was unable to absorb "the cultural shock" in the metropolitan London Society. She shares her experiences,

"Life in a western country is a bit of a challenge for people who come from the countries in the east or Asian countries. Especially if you go to posh areas where we're seen as minorities and the people there refer to us as 'colored people'. This one time my driving instructor in London; instead of correcting an error I made or saying it’s a very common mistake among the learners; made a comment that it’s a typical Asian mistake. I found that very racist. Similarly, a friend of mine who does Hijab and works at Supermarket, faced discrimination, as people were reluctant to form a cue in front of her stall. You'd always meet people here who would judge you for the color of your skin and the way you dress. They'll judge you for your background. It could be very tough sometimes to fit in."

Khalida Rashid Khan; Pakistan's first woman judge.

Rashid was a regular girl from Peshawar who grew up to be appointed president of an international tribunal for crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide.

Khalida Rashid, who was appointed back in 2011 as the President of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, is a source of pride. While talking to the BBC Radio, she shared how the men in the conservative Pakistani society tried to outcast her.

Khalida Rashid Khan had to deal with male lawyers and male colleagues refusing to address her or to take her seriously as a woman appointed at a dignified job.

Session on HIV Aids and Transgender Community to be held at Peshawar Press Club

Being part of the transgender or Hijra community, social stigma and discrimination make them outcasts in Pakistan’s highly conservative society. While there are no official precise figures on the number of transgender or third-gender people living in the country, estimates range from 80,000 to 350,000-500,000.

On World's Aids Day i.e December 1, Peshawar Press Club would be hosting a session on the lethal disease; HIV Aids and Transgender Community of KP/FATA. Along with sharing interesting facts and figures, the event would be focusing on the need to provide the transgender community with the access to HIV Services without discrimination, stigma and abuse.

"People went on to chant that I must have been lacking something!" says Asifa Ali, a single mother.

Asifa Ali, a single mother of three, is earning her own living for 14 years. She has raised her 3 daughters all by herself. Cleared their school and college fees by doing tons of odd job. She has no idea about the whereabouts of her husband, who has been gone for 15 years now. She shares her story,

"My life with three daughters haven't been easy. I married my husband Haider out of love. As far as i recall, it was a 'happy marriage' for the first few months. My first daughter was born within one year of my marriage. Things took turn for worst when i found out he was involved with another woman. I was expecting my second child then. Our marriage was never the same afterwards. Suddenly, my husband had become so indifferent. He was reckless and lacked sense of responsibility. We fought a lot. He used to go missing  for days and months without being worried about us. We grew apart. I last saw him back in 2002. My husband leaving us like that, provided a chance to the society to pass judgements on my character, my role as a wife. I remember a landlord refused to keep me as a tenant because of my husband's unknown whereabouts. People went on to chant that i must have been lacking in something, i must have been at fault, i must have not been able to satisfy my husband as wife or maybe  i was involved with another man who fathered my three daughters. Whereas, my husband faced none of these allegations or accusations when he got involved in an extra marital-affair."

"Once labeled a drug addict, no one will trust you anymore", says an ex drug addict.

Most of the rehabilitated drug addicts fail to get back into the society because the society treats them as outcasts. Some of the addicts admitted that though they had tried to get rehabilitated from the scourge but to no avail as the society continued to snub and scorn them. They became despondent as the community failed to accept them. Umul Baneen a senior year Psychology student at Forman Christian College shared her interviews with drug addicts at Fountain House and Bridge Rehabilitation Centre. (The names cannot be revealed under the ethical and confidentiality terms.)

"The people in my locality don't like me, even my neighbor hates me. My greetings are ignored and instead I only get a piece of their mind. I have never been given the chance to prove myself and mingle with the community for support. I ended up feeling disappointed and went back to my old ways," said a 31 year old drug addict who has recently joined rehab again to become sober."

Another recovering drug addict at Fountain House shared,

"I was 16 then and peers had introduced me to a man who dealt in drugs. It started out as a casual thing, then I ended up trying other drugs which led to addiction until now though I hope to change. When something is stolen or goes missing, the first person that the villagers will accuse is drug addicts like me, even after just being released from rehabilitation. Once labeled an addict, no one will trust you anymore."

Though, a large number of drug addicts try hard to stop the drug habit but society's unforgiving behavior drives them into confusion and dependence on drugs bringing them in and out of rehabilitation centers. Many deteriorate further and end up on the streets.

(Fountain House strictly guards the identity of its patients. Pictures and names cannot be disclosed because of confidentiality issues.)

"Break Free" to kick start a series of events in Lahore

A Karachi based social action program "Break Free"; that aims to raise the issues of divorced women plans to spread this awareness all over Pakistan. Their first stop would be Lahore. The program actively seeks to break the stigma against divorced women and help them reconstruct themselves. They've been met with a tremendous response in Karachi this year for their Support Group Programs and workshops that focused on bringing a paradigm shift in society's mindset and help these "rejected" women gain their strength back again. The preparations would be in full swing by the start of the following year.

Lahore nonprofit helps transgender people live the life they imagined

LAHORE: A local nonprofit organisation in Lahore is helping people who are transgender earn a living and live a life they imagined. "I used to dance and beg for money. I did not like it but there was nothing else I could do," Deedar, who now works at the boutique run by the nonprofit, said. For more details, watch this report.

SOURCE: Samaa Web Desk

Lahore born singer Annie Khalid speaks out on stigmas attached to a divorced woman

Singer Annie Khalid at her second wedding

In her recent official instagram post, Singer Annie Khalid wrote a long note after the comments regarding her first failed marriage became unbearable for her.

"So I'm writing this post with tears in my eyes because I am sick and tired of the abuse I get on social media for my second marriage. YES I married AGAIN! Why do people write " how many times you gonna get married" "kitni dafa shadi karo gi" "man-eater" "vulgar woman" "wahiyaat aurat" What sin have I committed? Our religion permits us to marry again after being divorced, our beautiful Hazrat Khadijah was married 3 times, and her third marriage was to Prophet Muhammad PBUH. Who is better than her? Who is better than Our beloved Prophet Muhammad PBUH? NOBODY. What bullshit Pakistani culture we have where divorcee women are scandalized and stigmatized in our society. They become "black sheep" or "damaged goods". At the time of the Sahaba, men would stand in line to marry divorced women because they knew of the immense reward it was in the eyes of God. But in our day & age we are instead ostracized and looked down upon. You men who comment under my posts have some shame, nobody wants their marriage to break, but if it does then what can you do? Would you be happier to see me alone and unhappy? Would that make you happy? What hurts the most is seeing women say horrible things too. I would expect girls to be more empathetic and understanding but how SAD that you also hurt me with your brutal comments. Remember, this could happen to your mother or your sister, this could even happen to YOU. I am sorry for this long post but I had to speak up not just for myself but for all the girls out there who have been divorced. Can I also add how I always read that it must have been My FAULT, something bad I must have done got me divorced. Why is the girl always blamed, WHY? Thank you to my husband Saad who married me knowing my past and not once brought it up or used it against me. Instead loves me unconditionally for who I am and not what I am. Ok I feel better now. Peace." Annie Khalid posted on her Instagram (@anniecurli)

FCC's students shoot a short documentary film, "Disability is not Inability".

The community journalism students at FCC shot a 5 minute documentary film, delivering strong messages about disabled people like the title of the documentary itself "Disability is not Inability" and "A disabled child is not a vessel to be kept but a Lamp to be lit." The documentary also includes an interview with Mrs. Parveen Abdul Tawaab Khan; founder of Rising Sun Institute who shared some of her struggles when she started the institute as an Informal day care and the challenges she faced in her mission of "empowering special children to rise."

One of the students who shot documentary, Sarah Fayyaz was of the view, "The purpose behind shooting this documentary was to give a message to our society who is reluctant to give opportunities to these children with disabilities. They have a right to live a normal life as much as we people do. Socially out casting them or rejecting them on the basis of their physical disabilities not only discourages them but it also doesn't reflect a good picture of our society as a whole."

Pakistani society continues to stigmatize "unchaste" women

A local 24 year old woman in Darogahwala slum shared her story of abuse and shame, 

"Every poor girl wishes for more education, for the opportunity to learn and go to school; for a childhood. But many of us are not that fortunate. The day my brother was born was bittersweet; I was no longer allowed to go to school. Due to the increased household responsibilities, my father told me that I must stay home and eventually begin to work.

On the night of his birth, while my whole family was celebrating, I went to my uncle's house to get more bread. I didn't know a young man was there. In the empty home, he took advantage of me; he did things that I didn't understand; he touched my chest. Before I could realize, there was a cloth over my mouth and I was being raped. I was having trouble walking back home; I felt faint and I had a headache. This happens a lot in villages. Young girls are raped, murdered, and buried. No one is able to trace them after their disappearance. If a woman is not chaste, she is unworthy of marriage."

Being a SOCIAL OUTCAST is never easy: nomad from Daroghawala

Ali, comes from a family of nomads; hailing from Sialkot; living in a slum on the outskirts of Lahore. On asking about how their community gets affected by their nomadic lifestyle that leads people to perceive them as 'social outcast', he said,

"Belonging to the social outcast is never easy; the people here are labelled as criminals, sluggish and lazy."

There, in the slums, the children spend a majority of their time outdoors. The breadwinner of the house arranges for wood early in the morning for fire to cook food. With a single room being occupied by over six people, things can become quite claustrophobic. 

The wood is burnt in the same rooms that the children sleep in. The smoke affects their immune systems, making them vulnerable to pneumonia and bronchitis. Open water containers birth diseases like malaria and dengue.