Dr Rakhshinda Perveen

Dowry violence is one of the many manifestations of patriarchal culture that is comfortably integrated in our routine lives. Different structures in development practice and governance as well as the society at large have cleverly assigned social sanction and legal safeguard to it. This custom is not only lethal to the self-esteem, emotional and physical health of the potential brides but to their … [Read more...] about Dowry violence and Pakistan

For any sincere, sensitive and simple person in Pakistan, life usually remains coarse in all months of the calendar, but the month of December becomes exceptionally condescending owing to two national tragedies. On December 16, 2014 more than 100 of Pakistani kids went to the Army Public School Peshawar and never came back. That massacre resulted not only in the loss of precious lives of army … [Read more...] about Two Decembers, 1971 and 2014

  Social entrepreneurship is a modern day social epidemic that is coping with a case of semantics. The terms social entrepreneur and social entrepreneurship were first used in literature in 1953 by H. Bowen in his book, “Social Responsibilities of the Businessman”. The use of these terms started becoming more widespread in the 1980s and 1990s, due to many distinguished promoters of this … [Read more...] about The limitations of social entrepreneurship

Among some of the most viral jargons in the development world, ‘empowerment’ undisputedly remains at the top. There is liberal use and overuse of the word by academics, activists and aid workers, with an equal ease in the context of advancement of women, poverty reduction and community uplift. The extraordinary successful integration of a poorly understood concept or a vaguely defined goal known … [Read more...] about Development and deception

Anti-sexual harassment legislation in Pakistan has fashioned new expectations. The laws against harassment (and other forms of gender based violence as well) can act not only as an emotional consolation, deterrence and a source of compensation to those who can afford a legal battle but also indicate gender responsive governance. Alarmingly, training and legislation are both failing to effectively … [Read more...] about Harassment and bullying after #MeToo

A complex issue like Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (CSAE) can’t be solved until the public take interest in it. Unfortunately, the efforts required in policy making on this issue in both the public, private sectors are extremely lacking. The outrage that has currently gripped the Country, actually exposes the corrosion of our integrity as a society, as well as a state. The media frenzy … [Read more...] about Time to wake up about abuse

Child abuse and neglect, as per the definition provided by WHO, includes all forms of physical and emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect, and exploitation that results in actual or potential harm to the child’s health, development or dignity. Within this broad definition, five subtypes can be distinguished — physical abuse; sexual abuse; neglect and negligent treatment; emotional abuse; … [Read more...] about Understanding child abuse

It is a terrifying fact that the most economically vulnerable are much more likely to suffer from various sorts of disabilities. Neither being poor nor being disabled is a crime, but the modern economic system treats these conditions as such – even in developed countries. In spite of the spirit and abilities that disabled people may possess, they are rarely given the opportunity to put them on … [Read more...] about Disdain for disability