Calendars exposing ‘sexual harassers’ launched | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Calendars exposing ‘sexual harassers’ launched

ISLAMABAD – A calendar highlighting typical characters responsible for restricting women’s active contribution in socio-economic activities by intimidating and harassing them was launched here on Saturday.

About 12 cartoonised characters, which harass the women using different means, were selected to appear on the calendar from a total of 36 through a voting process.
The calendar has been produced by Alliance Against Sexual Harassment (AASHA) – a coalition of around a dozen civil society organisations working to promote women’s rights. ‘Tharki Baba’ – the first cartoonised character in the calendar portrays men who like hugging and touching young girls under the garb of being their older uncle.

The sketch of a bald man wearing a suit depicts who extend explicit invitations for intimate relationship to subordinate female staff members and threatens to punish those who turn these offers down.

Another cartoon shows a man with binocular fixed to his eyes to highlight the characters in habit of harassing women by staring at them. Such people are frequently found at bus stops, markets and public places. ‘Ustad Lucha’ is the title of a cartoon that illustrates how wagon drivers and conductors of public transport touch women in a sleazy manner under the guise of changing gears, taking money or making room for other passengers.

Another cartoon is about the teachers who blackmail female students for sexual favours, intimidate female teachers, abuse their authority and thus bring bad name to a respectable profession.

An animal faced man riding a bike depicts the typical characters, which offer lift to women on the streets and intimidate women drivers.

Another cartoon is about the men who use mobile phones as their tool to harass women by sending anonymous text messages and vulgar poetry in the hope of making a connection.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, founding member of AASHA Dr Fouzia Saeed said, “The current Government has shown commitment and support by passing legislation against sexual harassment making it a crime for the first time in the history of Pakistan. This is a milestone in the social history of Pakistan that will not only legitimise access to the public and work spaces for women but will be a turning point in changing people’s mindset about the relationship of men and women.”

Source: The Nation

Date:1/16/2011