Women Against All Odds

We are just two days away from celebrating International Women’s Day.

We are just two days away from celebrating International Women’s Day. And while the gender bias, domestic violence, sexual abuse continues seeing some women standing up against it all brings a sigh of relief if not of joy. And thanks to the initiative(s) taken by various organizations to give these women their voice so that the oral documentation of their horror and survival can be heard. That’s how Goethe Zentrum Hyderabad is bringing the podcast series ‘Pinjra Tod Kar’ at its premises inviting key speakers and the survivors themselves. The tales are of the victims, who are rebuilding their lives with author-activist Jameela Nishat’s NGO Shaheen. The first event in the series begins on March 6, 6.30 pm with Usha Raman from Bol Hyderabad, Padma Priya and Rakesh Kamal of Suno India and Jameela with the podcasts.

The tales to be shared are of the young women associated with Shaheen for survival. There stories are of domestic abuse, incest, early marriage and physical violence. One survivor Sultana Begum from Nasheman Nagar is in her mid age whose nose was cut off by her husband, who smashed her face with a big stone. But she’s emerged strong out of it and helps other victims providing counselling and support. Says Jameela, “We even have the story of a 16 year old girl Neha of Hasan Nagar, who was being married off forcibly. But she called the police and stopped her wedding.

She’s now learning tailoring and is being counseled to cope up with the emotional trauma.” Another story is of 18-year-old Pooja of Valmiki Nagar, who didn’t have doors at the loo in her home. Her uncle kept on sexually abusing her. Adds Jameela, “She didn’t even know that it was a case of incest till she came to us.” Other survival stories are of triple talaq and a young woman Afreen of Mughalpura, who filed for a divorce when she was seven months pregnant. She’s now living life on her own terms much like other survivors who have reclaimed life.           — Saima Afreen saima@newindianexpress .co @Sfreen
 

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