Daily Times

As a perpetual student of life and caring practitioner of inclusivity and diversity I always study our national policies, strategic priorities and international commitments through the gender lens first. Over the last few years, however, I have started looking at all matters that affect human lives by applying the filter of mental health. Besides reading I spoke with a number of leading psychologists and psychiatrists. I am sharingam sharing, using my writing license (if there is any) a bit of only what I have received and decoded.

In this capital city even teenagers are swallowing Prozac (an antidepressant not for over the counter sale)likesale) like Paracetamol(a pain reliever and fever reducer- available without prescription). Ethical considerations are becoming irrelevant to most of the health practitioners. Most parents in the cities are not finding time to communicate with their children. Teenagers and young people under 25 years are not only overstressed but are into substance abuse. Criteria of success is money, Ivy league and a higher social position by hook or by crook. Morality is an outdated subject. Suicidal tendencies are on increase. People especially young men and women of different age groups from remote areas are becoming visitors to the Outpatient department of psychiatry clinics of public and private sectors in major cities.

Not only we are facing afacing a precarious stunting rate but a majority of us are suffering from different mental disorders, lack the ability to think critically and challenge status quo. Lot of noise keeps on happening inside our minds .minds. We decide to remain aloof and distance ourselves from any victim who is not potentially beneficial. In the families we know incest is happening and different forms of exploitations are being practiced but we choose not to disclose any. At workplaces we witness layers of unfairness, well-managed chaos, overt and covert harassment, toxicharassment, toxic masculinity, distorted consent with logical consequences, and what not but we continue to secure our jobs. Due to sordid economic compulsions we shut our eyes, pressed our ears only to land in in different clinics not only with lots of physical ailments but mental health challenges.

Dedicated to the absence of any street protest/sit in/ mass media hype for supporting allsupporting all women victims and survivors of violence

Mass media especially private TV channels though apparently working with a lesser freedom (yet to be demystified) aredemystified) are setting newer heights of advocacy journalism (to put it mildly).Nothing it seems can compel our TV consumers to demand that stop airing unquestionably befuddling shows under the genre of current affairs. Most of these shows are cleverly choreographed entertainment to ensure disempowerment of that majority for whom the television is considered to be their executive club.

A few dire examples of a muted society that is rapidly losing its collective conscience include instances of mob justices, police violence, crimes like minor child abduction, rape and murder, periodic episodes of off-line and on-line harassment and bullying women in politics, journalism and showbusiness, temporary attention to such topics on social media, criminal silence, selective silence and deafening silence on different stories of abuse.

While social injustices affect all individuals, but it remains a fact that lives of women (trans women included), women with cultural and physical disabilities are affected more. Jalila Haider and all members of Hazara community, Sana Mir and all members of sports fraternity, women in army and police, women in domestic help, women in medicine, women in STEM, women in media, art and literature ,women in business and entrepreneurship, women in thought leadership and political leadership all deserve loads of admiration as they beat all odds on daily basis. These are inspirations in actions. All these women have a responsibility too- they have to build other women and enable them to lead as well rather than remaining subservient or acting as merely the passive recipients of a charity project.

Nearly 22,000 ( as per a report widely circulated on social media) government servants are dual nationals who may not have any stakes in Pakistan and are drawing perks and power only. This is absolutely harrowing if true. Towards the end of 2019, it has occurred to me that still there are at least two versions of Pakistan in one geographical land. One is the country for masses and the other is the country for classes. The elite -Pakistan remained arrestedremained arrested in hotel-centric, donor driven and dependent developmental illusion, nurturing on ceremonial projects and difficult to defend data. Empowerment of communities, youth and women shouldwomen should neither be treated as a fad nor a fantasy but treated as the sole purpose of national development. All stakeholders must be taken into consultative process through elected representatives of people of Pakistan.

Activists are impatient optimists. I want to welcome 2020 with the assurance that those who have the role in making decisions for us will take urgent and pertinentand pertinent actions that would create social good for common persons including common women. They haveThey have to rise above their own class and ideological biases (if any) and should be able to dismantle elitist and patriarchal consensus as well. Leadership is also about letting others shine and this requires a greater vision and a bigger heart.

The writer is a serial social entrepreneur ,activist ,gender expert and former TV anchor & producer. She tweets @dr_rakhshinda and can be reached at founderkafekaam@gmail.com