Blue Veins (Pakistan)

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Blue Veins, based in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan is a women's health advocacy group. Its focus is on providing medical knowledge to underprivileged and rural women. Its mission includes empowering women to assert their rights and participate in fostering peaceful conflict resolutions. [1]

Contents

About

Blue Veins works with grassroots organizations for both men and women to secure and maintain women's rights in Khyber Pakthtunkhwa (KPK). [2] This has included ensuring women have the right to vote in Peshawar. [3] Blue Veins has also trained women on how to avoid harassment in the workplace. [4]

Blue Veins has also helped transgender people in Pakistan. [5] They have provided help and resources, such as giving out sewing machines to individuals in the transgender community. [6]

Blue Veins is a member of the End Violence Against Women & Girls Alliance and also a member of Girls Not Brides. [7]

History

Blue Veins was founded by Qamar Naseem in 1999 first in order to spread information about breast cancer in communities such as Khyber Pakthtunkhwa (KPK) and Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA). [2] In 2013, Blue Veins partnered with KIOS, a Finnish NGO, to document sexual harassment "hotspots" in Pakistan. [8] This project eventually led to 46 women being able to file cases, with Blue Veins' help. [8] Also in 2013, Blue Veins launched a "Women's Manifesto", urging women to exercise their right to vote. [9]

Blue Veins helped establish TransAction in KPK. [10] In 2017, Blue Veins, along with TransAction Alliance have demanded legal protections for transgender people in KPK. [11] KPK became the first province in South Asia to have legal protections for transgender people. [12]

See also

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References

  1. "Blue Veins". Insight on Conflict. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
  2. 1 2 Rehman, Sonya (4 September 2014). "Interview: Qamar Naseem: The Pakistani Feminist". The Diplomat. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
  3. "Women's rights to vote in LG polls 'under threat'". Dawn. 26 May 2015. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
  4. "Miles to go: Protecting women against harassment at workplace in KP". Pajhwok Afghan News. 15 July 2015. Archived from the original on 31 July 2018. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
  5. Umar, Noorjehan (2 August 2017). "Seeking Equality". Newsweek Pakistan. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
  6. "Sewing machines distributed among transgender community - Centreline". Centreline. 28 September 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
  7. "MPs, Civil Society, Media for End to Child Marriages". The Nation. 12 October 2012. Archived from the original on 15 August 2017. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
  8. 1 2 "Women tweet to map sexual harassment in Pakistan". Ignite - Global Fund for Women. 27 April 2015. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
  9. "Govt Urged to Ensure Maximum Participation of Women in Polls". The Nation. 11 April 2013. Archived from the original on 15 August 2017. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
  10. Tariq, Khusro (21 November 2016). "What Trans Action KP can teach Pakistan". The Express Tribune Blogs. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
  11. "Policy for protection of transgender persons demanded". Dawn. 6 July 2017. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
  12. "KPK becomes first South Asian province having Transgender protection policy". Times of Islamabad. 28 December 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2017.