Take Back The Tech! to end violence against women

Islamabad, December 8, 2012: Online abuse meted out to women, while exposing Pakistani patriarchy and its mindless violence, serves to reinforce the traditional chadar aur chaar diwari mantra. It is time for women to take charge of spaces they live in, both physical and virtual.

A woman in a man’s world
A man in a woman’s

Islamabad, December 03, 2012: ‘She's begging to be raped.’ That's the response that many feminists in Pakistan get online from Pakistani men seeking to shut them up. This is a response from Pakistani men to women merely tweeting about issues related to sexualised violence.

Islamabad, December 1, 2012: I was 13 when I was molested by my uncle. He was a doctor. That was the last time I complained of any sickness to my parents.

I was 22 when I went on my first internship at a foreign bank in Karachi. My first work experience in the corporate world was of a pervert boss who would pass sexual remarks at me in front of the entire floor. He did get some giggles.

Islamabad, November 29, 2012: “The easiest and most common tactic to win a discussion with a woman activist over the Internet is to tell her to ‘Make me a sammich’,” says Sidra*, an activist for women’s rights in Pakistan. Implying that a woman’s “place is in the kitchen” is perhaps the most over-used tactic meant to discourage and embarrass women human rights activists into submitting.

Islamabad, November 29, 2012: Blocking Communication Channels is against civil liberties and citizens rights.

Islamabad, November 28, 2012: Mobile phones have often been forwarded as an affordable solution to enabling internet access, especially for those from developing. According to recent research, there are currently 6 million mobile subscribers worldwide, which is equivalent to 87% of the world’s population.

Islamabad, November 27, 2012: Freely accessible and open internet platforms for education, awareness and entertainment are what people turn to when their governments fail to provide them the infrastructure and safe spaces to develop into healthy minded individuals, capable of contributing positively to the nation's progress.