We Can Campaign

SEHER’s rich work on ending violence against women with the tribal women in the rural setting or with women prisoners or Dar-ul-aman’s inmates underscored the need to broaden its work and involving broad based key actors and stake holders who are instrumental in facilitating the women to lead better, secure and violence free lives. In this context SEHER strategized its efforts and developed partnership with OXFAM GB and took the charge of We Can Campaign.

To achieve the desired results of the “We Can Campaign” to end violence against women, two fold strategy is adopted i.e. direct intervention of the campaign (DIC) and Campaign’s Intervention through Partnership (CIP).

Direct Intervention of the campaign for ending violence against women
SEHER devised well though strategy for direct intervention of the campaign (DIC), DIC is initiated in Quetta and Lesballa districts. Following activities are done to apply the vision of “WE Can” campaign to end violence against women into practice.

Orientation & Sensitization of Senior Police officers
Keeping in view the significant role of police in prevailing justice an orientation and sensitization meeting was arranged with Senior Police Officers i.e. SI / DSP / SP / ASP participated in the workshop. They were exposed with the intensity and quantum of violence against women. Some crucial case studies were shared with them and vision and objectives of the “We Can” end violence against women campaign and their support to the campaign is sought out.

Orientation & Sensitization of Elected Representatives
Govt. has also introduced local bodies system that facilitates the community members in solving their minor problems through elected representatives. Therefore, it was extremely instrumental to sensitize the elected body regarding the dynamics of VAW and sought out their support for “We can Campaign”. In this regard orientation and sensitization session was conducted for Nazims , Naib Nazims, Councilors both in Quetta and Bella Districts and their support to campaign is ensured.
 
Media usage as advocacy tool for “We can Campaign”:
Media, particularly Electronic Media is a very powerful tool to raise public awareness. Therefore, it was thought appropriate to use this means of communication to reach millions of people for their awareness on VAW issues as well as making them part of the “We can Campaign” to end violence against women details of the media and its outreach is given bellow:

“WE CAN” Banner Campaign
A banner campaign to raise public awareness on gender based violence was launched as part of the campaign. Very unique strategy is adopted, on one hand Banners are pasted on public please such as round about, parks and hotels and on the other hand SEHER team visited various densely populated areas of Quetta, e.g. Deba, Sariab, Shahbaz town, Brewary in addition schools, colleges and other institutions to spread its message and not only got their solidarity signatures on the banners but also convene them to become part of the “We Can Campaign” to end violence against women. Hence as many as 9875 people from all walks of life signed the “We Can Campaign” to end violence against women banner.

Organizing 1000 Event for Ending violence against women:
Rigorous and unique strategy of “We Can Campaign” to end violence against women was organizing 1000 events per district. Concept of the event was discussing, brainstorming, debating any of the 4 messages of out of 16 messages of the campaign with group of 8-12 people of any walk of life. SEHER was able to organize 1000 events in each Quetta and Lesbella Districts.
 
Making Change Makers:
The campaign was making change makers, because the past experiences and learning of various campaigns revealed that the momentum of the campaign evaporates as soon as the campaigners withdraws. Hence it was conceived in the “We can Campaign” that thousands of change makers should be developed during the campaign activities, so they could stay and continue the campaign activities after the withdrawal of the campaigners/SEHER. Hence SEHER kept its focus on this aspect and made thousands of change makers in both Quetta and Lesbella districts.

District & Provincial Core groups for “We can Campaign”:
Although SEHER being provincial lead is very successfully doing the campaign’s activities on ground and reached out to millions of people, but yet there is need for broad ownership of the “We Can Campaign” by people from all walks of life, who could not only show their “Identity” with the cause but also give their intellectual inputs to the campaign activities and support SEHER at policy level. Hence District Core Groups at Bella and Provincial Core Groups at Quetta are formed to the campaign activities. Please refer to annex # 5 for their TOR and Details.

Change Makers Provincial Assembly:
Provincial level change makers assembly is thought appropriate to provide opportunity to change makers of all districts   to interact and learn from each others experiences. Provincial Core Group had series of meetings and devised a strategy for provincial assembly. Provincial assembly is very much attended by people from all walks of life, such as MNAs, MPAs, Senators, Politicians, Doctors, Lawyers, Trade Unions, Students, District Council Members, CSOs, Journalists, and Activist etc. In provincial assembly change makers from all 6 districts made speeches, songs and skits and highlighted the issue women are facing. They also showed the impact of the “We Can Campaign” on ordinary people through their skits. Participants of the assembly very much appreciated the efforts done through “We Can Campaign” by SEHER and its district partners and showed their solidarity with the cause. The most important aspect of the provincial assembly is about 99% of the participants filled “Change maker” form and made commitment that they would be making more change maker in their areas.

Solidarity with Sindh Provincial Assembly:
Working on such a complex issue of ending violence against women, which is on one hand at less priority of the state institutes and on the other hand traditionally accepted norm, make the strugglers lonely and isolated. Therefore, such people need those people around who understands them and their cause. Keeping this in view SEHER has facilitated a delegation of 30 change makers from all 6 districts to participate in Sindh’s Provincial Assembly organized in Hyderabad and show their solidarity with Sindh’s change makers.

Highlighting the “We Can Campaign” efforts at National Level:
National Lead Organization i.e. Oxfam GB had a plan to have a national level change makers assembly in which each province change maker along with their provincial lead organizations could highlight their province effort, learn from each other and develop their inner-provincial linkages with each other. SEHER facilitated 40 change makers delegation to National Assembly of the change makers taking place in Bahaulpur and Balochistan Efforts were presented through speeches and skits. National Assembly is heavily attended by the change makers all over the country and people from all walks of life.

Campaign Intervention through partnership:
SEHER developed partnership with Gross root level/District level NGOs/CBOs  in Bolan, Sibi, Naseerabad, and Jafferabad districts to initiate the “We Can Campaign” to end violence against women in the respective districts with same zeal, rigour and intensity, SEHER is doing in Quetta and Lesbella Districts. In this regard SEHER District Partners did the following activities of “We Can Campaign” in their respective districts:

Workshops/Seminars/Rallies through “We can Campaign” to End violence against Women:
These Gross root level, SEHER Partners have conducted/organized number of workshops/Seminars/rallies in their respective Districts, Tehsils, UCs and Even at village level to create awareness among the people regarding women rights, Gender and violence against women. Following Table shows the efforts and intensity the awareness raising activities done by SEHER partners:

Making change makers by District Partners:
District Partners pursued the same strategy of making change makers in their respective districts. They went to the gross root level, oriented and reoriented the communities, officials, CSOs, Lawyers, Journalists, Students, Doctors etc and made them change makers. The following table may give clear idea of their endeavours in this regard:

Organizing 1000 Events by District Partners:
Organizing 1000 events per district were as means and end to reading thousands of people, making them aware, sensitizing them and taking them on board as part of the cause. District partner went through this approach very enthusiastically and tried their level best to organize 1000 event in their respective districts. Following table shows their efforts:

District Assemblies:
Concept behind the district assemblies was provided a common plate form to the respective district change makers to perform collectively, while on the other hand divert the attention of district authorities and other people from different walks of life towards the objectivity of the campaign to end violence against women. Although the activity was meant at district level only, but some of the partner, even went to the Tehsil level and organized both district and Tehsils level assemblies. These assemblies were heavily attended by the people from all walks of life and generated widespread awareness regarding ending violence against women endeavours through “We Can Campaign” in the district. Following table shows the quantum and intensity of the district/Tehsil assemblies by district Partners.