News
Five years of partnership in the campaign to end acid violence in Pakistan
London – On 15 March 2011 an evening reception was held at the High Commission of Pakistan in Lowndes Square in London, to mark the five year partnership between ASTI and its partner in Islamabad, Acid Survivors Foundation Pakistan (ASF-P). Pakistan’s High Commissioner, His Excellency Wajid Shamshul Hasan, welcomed over a hundred guests including ASTI’s patron HRH The Princess Royal, Dragon’s Den entrepreneur James Caan, Sir Anwar Pervez, Nepalese ambassador Dr. Suresh Chandra Chalise, and a range of other distinguished guests and supporters.
The High Commissioner for Pakistan highlighted his government’s commitment to eliminating violence, especially violence against women, and noted that the Ministry of Women Development was working with ASF-P and UNIFEM to bring the Acid Crime Prevention Bill before the National Assembly of Pakistan. He acknowledged the role of ASTI and ASF in raising awareness of this problem in Pakistan and providing vital services to victims. The High Commissioner reminded the audience that ASTI’s engagement with Pakistan began a little over five years ago and a lot had been achieved in that short time, mainly through ASF-P’s unique experience of working with the local population to combat acid violence effectively.
ASTI chair and founder Dr John Morrison OBE spoke movingly about his first encounter with acid violence when he met a young woman named Majeeda who had been attacked with acid while she was pregnant with her first child, an experience that convinced him of the need for a coordinated effort to end acid violence. The Acid Survivors Foundation in Pakistan (ASF-P) was founded in 2006 when ASTI secured funding to establish a new Acid Burns Nursing and Rehabilitation Unit in Islamabad.
Valerie Khan Yousafzai, Chair of Acid Survivors Foundation Pakistan, shed some light on recent developments, highlighting the steps being taken by the government of Pakistan for developing a legislative framework to reduce acid violence. A national consultation process in now taking place for Acid Control and Acid Crime Prevention Bills to be tabled in the national and provincial assemblies with the support of the Pakistani Ministries of Women Development, Health, Interior, Industries and Production, the National Commission on Status of Women, civil society and a range of UN agencies including UNIFEM.
Closing the evening, HRH The Princess Royal noted ASTI’s diverse experience in a number of countries with high attack rates, pointing out that it is not always recognized that acid violence is a global issue. She commended the courage of Pakistan’s government for acknowledging the need to help the victims of acid violence, and demonstrating its commitment to addressing this issue by hosting the reception. The event ended with an appeal to support the ongoing work of ASTI and its partners to help acid survivors rebuild their lives and end acid violence in Pakistan. ASTI would like to thank all of its guests and supporters for attending the evening and the High Commission of Pakistan for generously hosting the reception.
To learn more about ASTI’s partner and its essential work in Pakistan, please visit: www.acidsurvivorspakistan.org
Donations to support ASTI or ASF-P are gratefully received and can be made online here .
Posted on March 18th 2011 by Office in ASTI news
