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My Fight against Honor Killing!

I still cant believe I am an unreasonable finalist :)! This was probably the fifth time I reread their email… I had to keep telling my self, that yes it is the victory I had dreamt to get. And I would be proud of the word “unreasonable”. Because this wasn’t the only time I came face-to-face with it. Smiling proudly to my self my thoughts couldn’t help wandering back to the time I was called unreasonable.

I was 16. No plans, no full education and no experience, nothing but boiling rage. A fury about the customs I was living in. It was the time my mind settled on the decision. And I was out to END the custom of honor killing. To me what I saw was the horrible truth belonging to traditions, however to people, there stood a stupid girl right between her own tribes yelling against them…. Then is when I was called unreasonable.

Hearing the word that time and hearing it back now makes a huge difference, now I cant help shouting about with happiness telling people I m unreasonable enough to be part of the 42 finalists!

http://www.unreasonablefinalists.org/index.php?action=about_pro&proId=163

Its been 6 years now, determination keeps growing at each step of my journey and for now ~this is a boost up in my determination, power and strength! I m privileged to be among the finalists around the world, and would do 100% more then my best to raise the funds and become an officially licensed unreasonable person:)

Here is to dreamers that don’t surrender because of the size of their beliefs!!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Please support me in my cause by donating to me here:

http://www.unreasonablefinalists.org/index.php?action=about_pro&proId=163

January 27, 2010 | 7:07 AM Comments  0 comments

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Mom, did I ever tell you?
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

Mom, did I ever tell you how much I love the way you hug me when I m back from school?

Mom, did I ever mention how great it feels to see you in the kitchen?

Mom, I even love the way you scold me when I step on the rug with dirty feet

Mom, I love to get sick because of you to love me so

I love to get my ankle bruised so that you may hug me to make it sooth

Mom I love it when you wake me up in the morning

I adore the smell of what you are always cooking

Mom did I ever mention how proud I feel to walk by you?

Mom, I love the way you hold my hand when the roads are busy

Mom I love it when you say I m your little girl, when I know I m not little anymore

Mom, I do things slow to make you say hurry! hurry! hurry!

Mom, do you know I was awake last night when you thought I m asleep and kissed my forehead?

Mom, have I ever mentioned how nice you look in pink ?

Mom, have I ever told you how much I love your sound when you talk?

how much I adore the orders you give?

Mom, have I told you how soothing it is just to see you?

Mom have I ever told you, you are the one whos especial for me?

Mom, I really care when you say I don't?

Mom have I told you how much I love your presence?

Mom have I let you know how much I love the hugs you give?

Mom have I told you How much I LOVE YOU........?

Mom, because I do..................I really do.

May 10, 2009 | 7:48 AM Comments  1 comments



Commit to end honor killing
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

Dear Friend,

Honor killing is one of the hideous forms of violence against women, which snatches away their right to life. pledge to raise awareness on it to end the crime.

http://commit.tigweb.org/1079

February 26, 2009 | 4:20 AM Comments  0 comments

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PDI Declares launch of WAKE UP! Campaign against Honor Killing
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

Violence against women is a cruel reality for Women around the Globe and in Pakistan it is one of the main issues women face, Women keep on being victims of severe violence in Pakistan and not having a say for their rights they are reserved and accepting on the truth to be brutally victimized.

Though Violence against women takes a dismaying variety of forms, but the worst form which snatches away the lives of millions of women each year is “Honor Killings”. Each year, uncountable amount of women are killed, burnt, sold, exchanged and handed out to different tribes for compensation for a conflict in the name of honor.

According to UN about more then one thousand women are killed in Pakistan each year in the name of honor. These are the cases that are reported but thousands go unregistered and unnoticed. Despite having different laws about the criminal custom, signing on declarations and participating in conventions, Pakistan has not yet been able to make even the smallest change in the lives of women living under tribal codes of honor.

PDI like other many organizations in Pakistan has been actively engaged in working towards putting an end to this inhuman act. From advocacy to empowerment of local women in rural areas, PDI has also been part of various regional and international movements.

Since January 2008 PDI had launched an online campaign, WAKE UP!!! Campaign against Honor Killing that recruits international Change Agents. Since then WAKE UP has been the second vibrant online campaign against honor killing to reach out to more then three thousands of people from around the world and use innovative approaches of media as a great tool to bring positive change.

http://tinyurl.com/6j2dtm

http://tinyurl.com/65hsap

Just Recently Oxfam Australia and PDI joined hands on the practical launch of WAKE UP and today in a an Assembly organized by PDI Khuzdar at Khuzdar , Balochistan on the International Day of Elimination of Violence Against Women, PDI and Oxfam Officially declare the launch of WAKE UP!!! Campaign against Honor Killing.

WAKE UP targets youth, local communities, organizations, media and policy makers. Using effective ways of advocacy it highlights the past mistakes and new approaches, not forgetting to learn what went wrong from all these years of Law making.

It is in its initial stages of reaching out to the stake holders and needs as much as support from all of you, It is about time a dilute action be carried on the merciless customs!

For more information or support please contact me at khalidabrohi_traditional@yahoo.com

Khalida Brohi

November 25, 2008 | 5:09 AM Comments  1 comments



Please vote for my project!
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

Dear Friends,

my project Youth and Gender Development Program has recently been selected as a finalist in the Ashokas social entrepnuer competition, but it needs your votes to get to the end!

Please vote for Youth and Gender Development Program on the following link, you have to login and can vote for three!

http://www.changemakers.net/en-us/competition/staplesyv

Thanks!

Khalida Brohi

November 3, 2008 | 12:11 AM Comments  1 comments

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“Indigenous Peoples rights, Govt and Multinational Companies”
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

A story of the Shark and little Fish

It was a fine day in July when I received the letter of my acceptance to participate in Human Rights and Advocacy Training in Darwin, Australia.

It was a ten day training course on Indigenous human rights, along with field visits conducted by a well known training program based in Sydney, Australia called the Diplomacy Training Program (DTP).

How ever the news was sudden, and it took a while to obtain my visa and then to book the flights, I ended up having the longest journey of my life.

This wasn’t my first visit to Australia, being selected in Oxfam Australia’s three year program, Oxfam International Youth Partnership; I had visited Sydney in October 2007 for the launching ceremony of the partnership. That time I had only one transit and this time, I was having the journey around the world!

I had to fly to Bangkok, then to Singapore, Bali, Perth and finally to Darwin. The travel was long, but awesome! I came across so many new places, new people and new experiences. I had the time of my life!

Finally at the destination, I met the participants coming from the Asia and pacific, there were people from Thailand, Burma, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, PNG, Philippines and Australia. It was wonderful to see the different accent, languages and ways of life among them. All of us were accommodated in a university called the Batchelor Institute promoting indigenous education in the Northern Territories of Australia.

The next day the training started, Sarah Pritchard took over the sessions and introduced the human rights frame work and the universal declaration on the indigenous human rights. It was when we had a chance to give presentations on the main issues of indigenous people in our countries, I was surprised at the results as all the issues seemed interconnected, it reminded me of the concept of the “shark and the little fish” in all the countries. Just like Pakistan, indigenous people in all other countries suffered Land Privatization, Bonded Labor, lack of CSR by the Corporate companies was the one of the main issues faced in the Asia region and the responsible bodies were as always ADB, World Bank and the other Multinational companies, which were the sharks.

The connection in our issues, and the same pain we all had brought all the participants close and it wasn’t only two days that we were all a family of 30 people.

The phase of Advocacy in Human Rights campaigning has started by now, and we were learning to design web pages and to reach out to internet to disseminate information to the vast level. It was a great experience. During the sessions we were given time to surf and research on what ever topics and then prepare presentations on that, I did mine on what is climate change, its causes and effects. It was another big issue the indigenous people faced.

Finally the day to visit the local communities of Northern Territories in Australia came and we were all overwhelmed with excitement. I tried to visualize how the people would be, remembering my own lands in Baluchistan where I come from, the mud houses, the cattle, the small kids with the smiling faces, women fetching water from far off places. I couldn’t wait!

The beswick community was all we could have imagined, the same poor people with simple living, but fortunately enough they didn’t face much problems as indigenous people in Pakistan did, Off course once again it shows how responsible the Government of a country is.

We traveled on ships along the rivers to the Katherine Gorge, where we were shown the paintings on the mountains done by indigenous people about hundreds of years back. They were paintings of animals, peoples and shapes with deep colors of red and yellow on the hearts of mountains. It revealed the stories of their lives, both free and difficult at the same time.

The days ahead we were introduced to campaigning and media skills in advocacy for human rights. Fortunately I got a chance to talk a whole session on my experience in campaigning against honor killing. The next day I was told that I and another girl participant Joy from PNG were to be meet by people from an institute in the South Australia as they wanted to discuss our campaigning skills and ask questions in using the media. I was delighted as the meeting was a video conference, and it was my first ever time to experience it.

Finally the last day of the wonderful ten days was celebrated by a solidarity night, we were all asked to prepare a dish form our country and perform something. Everyone was wonderful, they were all expert cooks, but however I wasn’t bad and Pakistan has good flavors! I made Biryani and got great comments. As for the performances, there were dances, songs, dialogue, games, stories and as for me, I tried my poetic skills.

Training ended finally and it was the day when every one left, we all were sad at heart, it was as if we were leaving a happy family. But the thought to go back to our home lands was something to look forward to and that’s the main thing that keeps things going…………there is always something to look forward to!!!

Khalida Brohi

September 5, 2008 | 3:29 AM Comments  1 comments

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Visa Refusal
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

I would like to follow up with Tess, its very nice of her to mention the burning issue among us, I m one of the 16 Delegates refused of visas from Pakistan.

It was wonderful knowing at first that we are going to be a part of this grand event(World Youth Congress) at Quebec, and when actually CIDA financially supported us all, it was one of our dreams come true.

All we wanted was to be present when all the 600 experienced people from around the world were there, but having all the preparations done, we were unaware that our passports were refused of visas of Canada!

It hurt to know that the third world countries are NOT given much chance to prosper, they are left back to realize even more of what they are lacking.................two young activists raised there voices against this all and proved that we are not yet to be giving up!

Our requests are to the embassy to move back from Pakistan, if they don't want Pakistanis to enter Canada! there is no need of them to be associated in Islamabad then!

In the last I would like to say, that its proved enough now that, though talking a lot about development of these left out countries, there isn't much effort put into it to make it a reality for these countries to be one of the developed!!!

July 29, 2008 | 3:30 AM Comments  11 comments

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The two of us!
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

People say it’s a miracle we are still friends, there are so many differences in both of us that it seems a total eye burning contrast. I m talking about my best friend Shumaila, she is an ordinary girl like me: in teens, beautiful and talented.

I met Shum (that’s what she says we should call her) by luck, hummm…well not like she was just standing there and I went out to make friends with her. We are actually part of a same program for community service and youth empowerment.

She is one of those perky girls that catch your eye and you are at them just there. At first as it seems the only thing matching between us were our birthdays, we both being the same age actually had our birthdays in the same month. Hers is October 9 and mine is October10! This brought us close before knowing we were total negative of each other.

If I would like apple punch she would go for a coke, I would wear blue she would make a face of disgust, if I would say short hair is good she would go for the longest in the world.

Even being from Karachi we communicated mostly by emails and that was the hardest part. I spent half an hour reading the “haf u gt 1 ov the buzzy daz 2?” and finally realizing she means our hard working days of the year that is the exams! Several times I would print her emails and try to make out the words which were half letters and half numbers!

Coming to our hobbies I mainly lay down cozily reading a book or drawing out sketches when she says she cant live with out her TV and is obliged to go and sit in front of the huge screen munching on what looks like a pack of cheetos. Sometimes it gets on my nerves the way she eats all she wants and is always the beautiful structure of bones and flash, and when it comes to my eating, if I eat a paratha in the morning I m so sure to gain a pound by the evening!

We went to Sydney together to attend an event of the program and in first days I began to have one of those, I-feel-like-an-alien feelings roaming around in between bunches of goras and goris, and there she was in jeans perking up and laughing about with her new friends looking as if she might have been born in Sydney.

So what’s the actual dress you wear back in Pakistan? one of our friends asked eyeing my clean shiny dupatta and shalwar qameez and sitting beside me shum in her usual denim and shirt.
Hee he, umm…well our actual national dress is shalwar qameez but some of the people love dressing the way they do I answered. Well! Shum jumped up, “I would never dream of wearing shalwar qameez for long even in Pakistan”! she said, Which was so true I thought, visualizing the skirts and those beautiful dresses she wore. (I actually annoyed her, but it was one of my silent campaigns against globalization that I won’t change my culture no matter what!)

Of all the things we do together some are really important and that is thinking of our futures, like I have the oldest written-down-mission on a paper I have saved for long time which Starts with the heading that says “MY MISSION OF LIFE” and ends with a commitment which goes like this , “A Daughter, A sister, A citizen and A woman must remembered!” And as for shum!!! well, yes she has her plans too, few months back she was off to start a huge Asian network and which was later changed, then she was planning to start a new project, a month ago she was planning on going to off to Canada, and now?.........well now she says she would see when the time comes!
Coming to the point it’s hard to match the two of us, but you know what we think? We think we are a match made in heaven! Both of us are inseparable and would never dream of leaving the wonderful friendship. We respect our diversities and love our selves and besides you know what they say, contrast is always good!!!

After all, we are same-in a different way!!!

July 26, 2008 | 3:15 AM Comments  0 comments



“STOP AND THINK!”
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

Have it ever occurred to us what exactly are we doing with our lives, are we living the way we ought to? Are we the true picture of what we might want to become? Or are we climbing on the right wall towards our mission in life?. We would in the end find out that we don’t know! We don’t know what path is it we are taking, we don’t know what we ought to be doing, in fact the truth we haven’t ever wanted to know.

Life is not something just to live, it’s a matter of feeling what we know, do and want to do. Life is something to “possess” to actually be conscious of. But as it seems that people including me have lost what it means to actually be living. We are robots, if not fully but are going to turn into. We are sensing life as something to must do this, must do that, eat and sleep. When life is not just waking up in the morning and sleeping at night.

Just for a while stop and think what life really means to you and you will find out the time you haven’t taken out for your family, the meals you haven’t cooked, the ice-cream flavors you haven’t tasted and the love you haven’t spread. Life is about sharing, about relationships, its about what you give and get in return in the end happiness for each of you.

I m always waiting for wonderful things to happen which to me are my inspiration but until today I haven’t ever realized I MYSELF m the inspiration to me. I can actually make wonderful things happen, I can make so many people happy of my being, I can take many chances, I can have so much fun! It’s because it’s me and my life and the world around me.

I have taken the time to stop of my schedules and think about what life matters to me, what about you?


June 9, 2008 | 5:40 AM Comments  2 comments



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