ISLAMABAD: Digital Rights Foundation conducted its “Hamara Internet- Ending Online Violence against Women” yesterday in Islamabad. The conference also marked the soft launch of its Cyber Harassment Helpline.
The conference brought together experts in the field of human rights and activists to discuss online violence against women and the ways in which Pakistani women are reclaiming space online. The first panel, on “Reclaiming Online Spaces”, was moderated by Luavut Zahid. The panellists, which included Internet Society's Ufna Amir, Awami Worker Party’s Tooba Syed, Girls at Dhaba’s Yusra Amjad, and gender activist Zoya Rehman.
The second panel, moderated by BBC Journalist Shumaila Jaffery, discussed the topic of “Online Harassment of Women – When Honour Turns to Murder in Digital Spaces”. The panelists included Digital Right Foundation Executive Director Nighat Dad, Filmaker and Journalist Haseeb Khawaja, Forum for Dignity Initiative Founder Uzma Yaqoob, Activist and Journalist Sanna Ejaz and Pakistan Feminist Watch Founder Nabiha Mehar Shaikh.
The event also included the soft launch of DRF’s Cyber Harassment Helpline, which will provide a free, safe and confidential service to victims on online harassment in a female-led environment. The Helpline will provide legal advice, digital security support, psychological counselling and a referral system to victims. The Helpline, the first of its kind in the region, will consist of a toll-free number [0800-39393] where victims, nation-wide, can call in between the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Friday. The Helpline will not be in service on weekends and public holidays. The Helpline will begin its operations on December 1, 2016.
The panel “The Way Forward: Solutions and Tools against Online Harassment" not only launched the Helpline, but also discussed other tools available to women to reclaim the internet and protect themselves online. The panel moderator, Sociologist and Activist Nuzhat Saadia Siddiqui, was joined by UN Women Country Director Jamshed Kazi, Rozan Senior trainer and Psychologist Meerab Lodhi, DRF’s Nighat Dad, Dutch Embassy’s Acting Ambassador Paul Menkveld, PCSW Chairperson Fauzia Viqar, Auratnaak’s Eemaan Suleman, Quetta Activist Shazia Ahmed Langove, and DRF’s Helpline Head Shmyla Khan. The event was organised by the Internet Society, and Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom - Pakistan.
