Daughters of Defiance, an art showcase to raise the voice against aggression towards women, was held at Lahore’s Ambiance Boutique Art Hotel. Curated by Emaan Ali Kasuri, an aspiring artist, the event aimed to create awareness through a range of diverse art mediums including paintings, photography, and sculptures.
The event also featured a panel discussion with Nasreen Kasuri – Chairperson and Founder, Beaconhouse School System, Salima Hashmi – Former Dean, School of Visual Arts & Design, Beaconhouse National University, Munizae Jahangir – a prominent broadcast journalist, and Dr. Lawrence Burke – Chief Education Advisor, Beaconhouse.
The discussion was moderated by Emaan Ali Kasuri and Tabassum Murtaza.
The discussion explored the role of art as a vehicle to raise important social issues such as aggression against women, which includes harassment, assault, and violence. The speakers emphasized that in the wake of the frequent events of femicide and gender-based violence, Pakistan as a society needs to re-evaluate its collective thought process.
They highlighted that this change needs to start at a young age by educating our children, and inculcating values of mutual respect and inclusivity. The need and potential for legislation and implementation of women’s protection laws were also highlighted.
Panelists further discussed victim-blaming as a dangerous trend that is dividing our society and driving conversations in the wrong direction, discouraging victims to report crimes and further feeding a culture of intolerance and impunity, in a country already ranked 153 out of 156 nations by the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap 2021 index.
While speaking at the event, Emaan Ali Kasuri appreciated the efforts of artists whose work was on display in sharing their viewpoints on the issue. She also expressed her motivation and passion towards fighting for women’s rights, pressing on the importance of having the right conversations to combat this collective trauma.
Get the latest news and stories wherever you prefer.
Add ProPakistani to Preferred Sources and see more of our stories in Google Search and Top Stories.