South Asian Women's Day 2010
Initiated by Sangat and its network of women and men in the year 2002 as part of the International Fortnight against Violence against Women (25th November—10th December), the South Asian Women’s Day is being marked by an increasing number of students, activists and civil society members all over the region.
(Banner displayed in Colombo, Sri Lanka)
South Asians United Will Never Be Defeated
30th November 2010: To strengthen the bonds of friendship and peace with people from South Asia, Sangat celebrates the day SOUTH ASIAN WOMEN’S DAY today with its usual spirit of solidarity with friends and partners in many towns and cities of South Asia. Initiated by Sangat and its network of women and men in the year 2002 as part of the International Fortnight against Violence against Women (25th November—10th December), the South Asian Women’s Day is being marked by an increasing number of students, activists and civil society members all over the region.
We believe that the people of South Asia can bring peace and prosperity for all through friendship and cooperation. This can be done if we create and strengthen a South Asian identity across borders. Therefore, men and women collect in several cities and towns of South Asia (India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka) to light candles at the same time (between 5.3o. p.m. and 6.30 pm.) to express solidarity with the people of the region, and demand democracy and peace. Discussions, poetry, song and dance and so on mark the evening. This year South Asian Women’s Day will be celebrated in several places in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burma, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka by people who are committed to South Asian-ness, peace, democracy, justice, human rights, secularism and pluralism.
Our friends in Colombo created a mobile float, pasted stickers and banners on it (with messages against violence against women) and took it around town. They stopped at various spots to display their campaign material, distribute leaflets as well as to engage people with the issues at hand. Friends in Dhaka, Islamabad, Baluchistan, Tehran and in several other places got together to light candles and express their solidarity towards women in South Asia. (For pictures, go to the Photo Gallery section).