Sunday, August 16, 2015

Pakistan: Men Are Stepping Up to Fight Child Marriage in Pakistan - NEWS

August 14, 2015
TakePart

     Audience members were captivated as the play unfolded around the story of a young girl forced into marriage and the struggles of life as a child bride. By the end, several were weeping openly and many resolved to protect their daughters from the same fate.
      Theater is certainly an effective way to shed light on an issue few want to discuss—and Pakistan-based nonprofit Sujag Sansar Organization, which promotes women’s rights, especially via anti–child marriage efforts in Dadu District, helms these performances. But what makes SSO notable is that it’s mostly men who are standing up for women; seven out of 10 board members and 200 of the 300 volunteers are male. The reason: Cultural traditions discourage women from working outside the home, according to Mashooque Birhamani, SSO’s chief executive officer. While he hopes this will change one day, male community members are stepping up in the meantime.
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