Stopping Violence Against Women, in Pakistan
AZRA by Stephanie Sinclair
Wardrobe Mayhem – a fundraiser event in support of the campaign “Stopping Violence Against Women, in Pakistan”
What we did in 2006
Astin Brown Inc facilitated Wardrobe Mayhem Style Clinics for women from 5th - 10th December 2006, Meritus Mandarin Hotel, Singapore. The forum raised awareness, money and support for ending violence against women in Pakistan.
The Style Clinics connect the topic of violence against women with human rights, thereby emphasizing that such violence is a violation of human rights. Wardrobe Mayhem Participants were invited to bring to the workshop two items from their wardrobe which could be clothing or accessory. The first, something they admire but haven’t worn because it feels ‘wrong’ and the second, something they felt fabulous wearing. Using their own props, participants were guided with style secrets for their shape and identity. Without any ego, and with lots of fun, the Clinics delievered plenty of show and tell. The stylists shared secrets about looking spectacular all of the time is about fine tuning what a woman feels most comfortable wearing for their body shape.
Background to the Campaign:While there has been progress in the struggle to end violence against women, many challenges persist. This year’s campaign seeks to revisit and strengthen the human rights focus of work on gender-based violence against women. The 2006 theme reinforces an understanding that advancing human rights and ending violence against women are mutually reinforcing. Astin Brown Inc, through its Style Clinics, is encouraging women in
Background to the coming about of Wardrobe Mayhem:
Tahnya Butterfield, the company principal, was in the midst of generating concepts for interesting fun-filled style clinics - girlfriend events about self-discovery. She was trend-flicking through a 2005 Marie Claire USA magazine when she came across a face that compelled her to act differently. This catalyst for getting involved in the campaign of ‘Stopping Violence against women’ was a photograph of ‘Azra’ by Stephanie Sinclair taken for a photographic features section entitled ‘What a woman sees.’
The photograph presented an irony – that of a woman draped in a magnificent green hajib which was hiding the devastation of a horrendous act of violence. Arza had had acid thrown on her face by her brother-in-law. He had done so to uphold family honor. Tahnya had previously read about the issue of family honor, as well as Islamic interpretations of how it should be upheld. But Arza’s photograph had Tahnya thinking about the society that accepts violent behavior, questioning the interpretation of faith and of family honor, wondering about social tolerance and the consequences for violence against women. Who gives us permission to violate another human being? Tahnya researched the statistics as well as the campaigns against honor violence, and Wardrobe Mayhem was conceived in support of Arza and the women of
The Association operates a systemic strategy for lobbying for government support as it helps heartland women caught in the viscous cycle of family honor, violence and abuse. The Progressive Women’s Association helps victims file their criminal case with the police, finds attorneys to take their cases to court, offers legal assistance, provides emotional and moral counselling, as well as provides victims with alternative accommodation.
The Style Clinic facilitation fee was donated to the Progressive Womens Association Pakistan.
Visit www.pwaisbd.org/index.htm. Other links for startling statistics: www.abc.net.au/foreign/s221207.htm www.hrw.org/reports/1999/pakistan/ http://word.world-citizenship.org/word/index.php/wp-archive/636 http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/engASA330062002?OpenDocument For images that capture the violence against women: