ADVOCACY AGAINST HONOR KILLINGS

Once social change begins, it cannot be reversed. You cannot un-educate the person
who has learned to read. You cannot humiliate the person who feels pride. You cannot
oppress the people who are not afraid anymore.

~Cesar Chavez

Women are the most marginalized, oppressed and downtrodden group in Pakistani
society. Every day the newspapers are full of stories about horrible crimes against
women. These include domestic violence, child marriage or Vani, acid throwing, bride
burning, exchange marriages or Watta Sattas, dowry death, murder of pregnant women,
human trafficking, sexual slavery, forced prostitution, sexual violence, rape, female
genital cutting, domestic violence and even the killing of innocent women in the name of
the family’s honor.

Women often feel insecure. They are insecure just doing their daily and weekly errands
while going to school, Churches and markets with the fear of being harassed, and they
are insecure in their own homes with husbands, fathers, and brothers and even with
brother-in-laws who commit domestic violence against them. When women report
domestic violence to the police, it is often considered a domestic affair that does not
involve the police, and so it goes unchecked.

In Pakistan, domestic violence leads to honor killings.

Honor killings are a tradition of Pakistani society where the woman can be killed for
“damaging” the family’s “honor”. Many honor killings have been committed against
women who marry against their family’s wishes, who seek divorce or who have been
raped.

Honor killings are still practiced in Pakistan. The majority of the victims are women and
the punishments meted out against the murderers tend to be very lenient. The practice
of summary killing of a person suspected of an illicit liaison is known as Karo Kari.
Pakistan has witnessed an alarming increase in the menace of so-called honor killing
cases during recent years.

Humanity Healing International will stand to help women in Pakistan end the practice of
Honor Killings and shift the mindset of Pakistani society to one of gender equality. Our
partner, Hope Development Organization, HDO, has been actively involved to uplift and
support the marginalized Women groups of Pakistani society, for last fourteen years.
HDO has conducted several workshops on domestic violence and discrimination of
Women’s Rights with the women of the lower castes.
Advocacy Campaign against Honor Killings

Say NO to Honor KillingHumanity Healing International has partnered with Hope

Development Organization to implement an advocacy campaign against the practice of
Honor Killings by organizing and equipping women with the knowledge and tools
needed for empowerment. 50 women in each of 10 targeted areas, making 500 total,
will be selected and trained to be Women Community Agents, WCAs, to promote a
community-based women empowerment system and activism to eliminate violence
against women through active and bold involvement.

The initial training will be done in workshops that will give the WCAs more confidence
and awareness about their rights and educate them about the laws for their protection,
as well as possible solutions and plans of action.

Once the 10 WCA groups are trained, these 500 women will begin to work in their
districts to educate other women of their rights and options through a public advocacy
campaign consisting of press conferences, public rallies, and a signature campaign
targeting the Pakistan National Assembly’s Standing Committee Members and policy
makers.

Humanity Healing International will stand with Hope Development Organization and the
women of Pakistan. Will you stand with us?

Learn more about the House of Hope project to give women a safe haven to begin their
lives again.

If only 10% of the signatories on the End Honor Killings Petition send $10, we will be
able to start these programs to bring Hope to these women and girls.