The World Sindhi Institute

The World Sindhi Institute organized a two-day event, “Voices of Sindhi and Baloch Women” on March 9 and 10 at the Sindh Resource Center , 1 Walder Avenue , Toronto , Canada . The event constituted a colloquium for women and a Seminar for both women and men spread over the evening of Friday 9^th March and all day sessions on Saturday 10^th March 2007 respectively. The colloquium and ensuing discussions, presentations and engaging question & answer sessions were judged to be a resounding success by all participants. Participants included Baloch and Sindhi Diaspora in North America , predominantly women, who shared their personal narratives of immigration and longing for social and economic justice for their families, friends and relatives who live in Sindh and Balochistan.

Day 1 – Friday, March 09, 2007: Approximately 35 women participated in the Colloquium on Day 1. Arrangements for child care and dinner were handled by the men from the Baloch and Sindhi community, which was a fine gesture of solidarity.

The program began with a welcome note and introduction of the event and The World Sindhi Institute by Humaira Rahman, Director WSI Canada. Attention was drawn to the considerable natural resources of Sindh and Balochistan that could have eradicated poverty and brought prosperity and peace to the region. However Islamabad ’s instead further privileged the military and their partners in business. She said, “Had the income from Sindh and Balochistan’s resources, been spent judiciously over the last sixty years of Pakistan’s history, universal education, health care and employment would have been the norm, creating strong and vibrant Baloch and Sindhi societies. Instead, poverty increased dramatically in both provinces and militarization rendered them internally colonized, with the military favoring the most conservative and obscurantist elements of society and brutally suppressing those that raised voices in favor of democracy and human rights. As a result the economic and social status of women in Sindh and Balochistan is below what it was in 1947 and the lowest in the country”.

As participants introduced themselves, a narrative response by each participant to two opening questions was solicited: Firstly, the experience of emigration and what it had meant in terms of a change of status, and secondly what had compelled them to attend this particular event on “Voices of Sindhi and Baloch Women” for International Women’s Day?. Participants included women of all ages, from young college students to older matriarchs with grown children and grandchildren. Almost all participants expressed joy at being present here to share, hear others narratives and engage in dialogue. Most women expressed the sentiment that they generally felt better and safer in North America because of rule of law and protection available under family law, opportunity for education and gainful employment. Contrasting this to what would have been their lot back home: marriage at young age and lives limited to raising children, looking after husbands and housework. Many spoke of the threat of high mortality or disease during child birth. However, throughout the evening there was an almost palpable longing for the soil and welfare of the motherland. Three young women Saika Baloch, Marvi Rind and Ruki Baloch from Karachi delivered speeches. (Available on WSI website)

Four themes of discourse emerged from this session which lasted over 2 hours: 

1. An acknowledgement and appreciation that Canada had afforded a better status and protection as women than what was experienced or could be expected under Pakistani Law.

2. The contrast of being part of Canadian society that uses its resources towards quality public education, universal health and other economic opportunities with the priorities of the government of Pakistan and its impact on society in Sindh and Balochistan is shocking.

3. This awareness, coupled with the enhanced militarization under the current military government of General Pervez Musharraf has further alerted the Sindhi and Baloch in North America to the fact that the extreme political oppression that both provinces suffered was a result of always denying the populace their just demands.

4. Women have unobstructed movement and presence in the public sphere, due to which they feel much freer in Canada with unrestricted and reliable public transportation and reliable police support, which empowers them more than in Pakistan.

Day 2, Saturday March 10, 2007: Almost 50 women and men participated. Dr Laura Ford, an educational psychologist, and a friend and supporter of the World Sindhi Institute conducted a guided imagery exercise designed to put each participant in an empowering state, whereby they are able to achieve a fuller potential in any of life’s aspects. The purpose of this exercise was to develop a positive mental attitude or rather put one in a ‘problem solving’ mode. After the exercise, Ms. Nafisa Hoodbhoy presented a documentary film on women’s struggle for equal rights in Pakistan , which included interviews of women activists as well as victims of sexual aggression in the work place and in domestic violence. It also touched upon issues of protection and justice, marriage to Quran, temporary marriages and the infamous ‘Hudood Ordinance’. A discussion followed on all those subjects as well as use of rape as political weapon, women’s rights in Islam, issues of dictatorships and their support to tribal and feudal lords in Pakistan, military controlling and owning vast real estate holdings, finance ,commerce and manufacturing sectors and also top level employments in the private and semi-private sectors. Issues in Education and influence of globalization, international agencies such as IMF & World Bank and multi national companies on the governance structure of the country were also discussed, with its implications on the rights and lives of common women and men. Ms. Ayesha Babar from Quetta , Balochistan pointed out how few charitable groups of the Pakistani Diaspora located development efforts in Balochistan. A very lively discussion was then generated, during which Zafar Baloch gave detailed statistics and a very well researched overview of the issues influencing the political economy of Sindh and Balochistan and Razia Jangizi spoke at length, the participants concluded that both Sindh and Balochistan possess enormous resources and struggle must continue to ensure that the benefit of these resources reach their legitimate and real stewards in both Sindh and Balochistan.

The main theme emerging from the second day of deliberations can be summed up thus:

1. Sindhi and Baloch women of the Diaspora  in North America are acutely aware that under Pakistani family law women  suffer acute discrimination

2. Under policies of government of Pakistan spanning 60 years, women’s status has incrementally suffered from lack of opportunity and access to education and employment.

3. In public spaces in Pakistan women feel insecure and fear for their lives, physical safety and well being.

4. Women are politically aware and hold the military responsible for the lack of democratic institutions, the break down in rule of law, and the disproportionate representation of extremist and obscurantist elements  in public office and policy making

5. The natural resources that exist in Sindh and Balochistan belong to the people and income from these must be used to develop and improve the lives of Sindhis and Baloch and must not continue to enrich the central government, the military and their private partners in business and corruption.