Forced Conversions

Описание: Although the Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah made it very clear that all religious minorities should enjoy equal rights in the newly independent country of Pakistan, since 1947 till today a large percentage of religious minorities have migrated to other countries to escape discrimination and sometimes persecution. One of the most disturbing instances of persecution is that of young girls belonging to Hindu and Christian families being kidnapped, abused and then forcibly married and converted to Islam.

the discussion led by Nazish Brohi, Afiya Zia, Anis Haroon and Amar Sindhu on the present socio political scenario based around the realities and discourses surrounding the topic of Forced Conversions.

About the Speakers:
Moderator:
Nazish Brohi is an independent researcher in the social sector. She has worked on democratization, conflict and violence, gender and social change in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iraq. She has authored various reports and papers and writes occasional pieces for Dawn.

Panelists:

Dr. Afiya Shehrbano Zia is a feminist scholar, activist and author of Faith and Feminism in Pakistan (2018). She has authored over a dozen peer reviewed essays for international journals. She has taught at the University of Toronto and Habib University. She is an active member of Women’s Action Forum, Karachi.

Mrs. Anis Haroon has made a major contribution to raising levels of women rights and other social issues through her work as a journalist and social activists. Currently Member National Commission for Human Rights Pakistan for the Sindh Region. She has former Chairperson of the National Commission of Women Pakistan. She has many time appointed car taker minister of Sindh. She is one of the founder member of the Women Action Forum and has been a Resident Director at Aurat Foundation (2001-2009) She has been associated with leading women rights and human rights organizations-the Applied Socioeconomic Research Foundation, South Asia Partnership and Aurat Foundation. She has also published two works: Bara har dard ka Rishta (2000) and Kab Mehkey Gi Fasal e Gul, (2017) (Legal Rights Forum)

Amar Sindhu is Assistant Professor, Sindh University, Jamshoro. A poet with origins in Sindhi Literature, she is also a columnist and political analyst. Her poetry has been translated into the German language. She has contributed many articles in Urdu and English. Amar Sindhu is known for her unflinching human rights activism, her unequivocal support for the underprivileged sections of society, and her ability to speak her mind. She also published a magazine named Adrish on political, social, cultural and theoretical issues. One can find love, rebellion and passion altogether in her strong poetic expression. She is also an author of a bilingual book of poetry.