The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is a powerful global initiative spotlighting the urgent need to address violence against women and girls. This year’s theme, focused on gender-related killings of women (femicide/feminicide), emphasizes the critical need to challenge the normalization of violence and its devastating escalation. Building on this theme, Promoting Unity and Leadership for Social Empowerment (PULSE) has launched a public awareness campaign aimed at mobilizing diverse voices and driving actionable change.
PULSE unites journalists, digital content creators, lawyers, policymakers, international experts, civil society leaders, trade unionists, and government representatives to share impactful messages as part of the 16 Days advocacy campaign. The campaign’s key highlights include:
- Gender-Mainstreaming in Institutions: Experts emphasize the need to embed gender equity within all institutional structures and processes.
- Empowering Women in Trade Unions: Women’s leadership in unions is vital to ensure gender-equal laws and workplace reforms.
- Increased Media Coverage of GBV Cases: Journalists and media professionals advocate for increased reporting to limelight the pervasive nature of gender-based violence.
- Awareness and Prevention of Domestic Violence: Public awareness campaigns focus on preventing domestic violence through education and community engagement.
- Strengthening Workplace Harassment Laws: Advocates call for robust legal frameworks and effective implementation mechanisms to ensure safe workplaces.
- Ending Femicide and Honor Killings: Human rights bodies pledge to combat the tragic continuum of violence, including femicide and honor killings.
- Education for Gender Protection: Governments commit to educating students and the general public on gender protection and safety laws.
- Collaborative Action Against Violence: Lawyers and academics call for a united front between civil society, academia, and government to prevent violence against women.
The PULSE awareness campaign reflects the urgency of the UNiTE campaign by amplifying the voices of those working to protect women’s rights and build a future free from violence.
Live Webinar: “State of Human Rights and Role of Media”
On International Human Rights Day, December 10, 2024, PULSE concluded its 16 Days of Activism campaign with an inspiring YouTube Live webinar titled “State of Human Rights and Role of Media.” The session brought together a revered panel of experts, including Faysal Aziz Khan (Senior Journalist and President, PULSE), Fauzia Yazdani (Policy Advisor on Governance & Gender), Ajmal Jami (Senior Broadcast Journalist), Mumtaz Mughal (Director, Aurat Foundation), and Syed Masood Raza (Senior Journalist).
The experts, journalists and activists discussed critical topics such as the importance of fact-based reporting on human rights issues, media priorities in amplifying these right-based concerns, and the need for specialized training for journalists in human rights reporting. Panelists explored journalists’ rights and the challenges they face in the field, while also emphasizing the potential for collaboration between media and civil society. The webinar concluded with actionable insights on how PULSE can partner with journalists and digital content producers to strengthen human rights reporting in United States and Pakistan by ensuring a more informed and empowered society.
