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This Indian campaign encourages Pakistani women to siesta in public spaces to reclaim them

Called Meet to Sleep, the campaign will be held across Pakistan on January 16

15 Jan, 2016

If you visit a public park in Pakistan, you might find men lazing around casually under a shady tree. But never a woman. An Indian campaign, [Blank Noise][1] is challenging that difference by encouraging women to spend a few hours napping, chilling or just hanging out in a public space in both India and Pakistan.

Calling it 'Meet to sleep' the one day event on January 16 will be attended by women from various cities: Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad in Pakistan and Delhi, Bombay, Jaipur and Bangalore in India.

The main aim of this meetup is to the fear experienced by women whenever they're alone in public spaces.

The Saturday siesta is being organised in collaboration with Girls At Dhabas in Karachi will kick off at 2:30pm and will continue until 5:30pm in Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Park. In Lahore the venue will be the famous Baghe Jinnah in Lawrence Gardens. In Islamabad, head to F9 Park.

But that's not it. The campaign calls all the participants 'action heroes' because many of them would have never participated in this one-of-a-kind meetup. The attendees are asked to bring a mat, a blanket and pillow-cushion if they want, snacks and water and a mosquito repellent along with any of their friends or someone who wants to try this.

Blank Noise is a community which works to eradicate gender based violence and had their first meet organised in Bengaluru’s Cubbon Park in 2014.

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Comments

faryal Jan 15, 2016 04:30pm

I don't think that Pakistani women are afraid of anyone!

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wahid Jan 15, 2016 04:55pm

Modelski defined the foreign policy: activities evolved by communities for changing the behaviour of other states and for adjusting their own activities to the international enviorment. here one may rather use " regulating" the behaviour of other states so as to serve one's own national policy.

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tamil Jan 15, 2016 06:23pm

Not safe for women to sleep alone in public places.

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Indian Jan 15, 2016 06:24pm

In India, you can easily spot women in parks. There is garden near my home. Many people visit it in morning for morning walk, yoga, etc. Many women also visit it. Many of those women are Muslims and visit early morning without any male campanion.

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Satish Kumar Dogra Jan 15, 2016 06:44pm

Great move! Such common themes across the subcontinent can create a joint heart-beat that once again unites the two nations culturally and emotionally, if not politically.

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Rohitash Jetley Jan 15, 2016 06:49pm

This is a welcome step towards independence and liberalization of women. But I feel first families should be called upon to come with their female members in large numbers. Once such a campaign matures then second step should be women coming alone. The reason is once families accept that their women should go out and they would be safe, then it means that it has sanction of the society. It should not appear to be seen as an event of city bred, foreign educated, liberal women of upper class coming from rich families in big cars and having a picnic on a sunny day but a movement of the masses for Gender Equality

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Kamran Jan 15, 2016 06:54pm

Kindly don't incite woman to mess around man's world with these things. Man is cruel by nature. A man is not safe with another man let alone the woman.

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Hasan sahab Jan 15, 2016 07:00pm

Many women in Pakistan visit parks alone, specially in early morning and evening hours for a walk. Karachi's parks are almost full with men and women with no apparent harassment. This sleeping in the park idea is senseless, who does that? not even men unless they are homeless

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Asif Jan 15, 2016 07:01pm

Why there is need to sleep in public parks anyway?

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Conservative Jan 15, 2016 07:15pm

In Pakistan I have seen women going for walk to the parks. I have seen this in Race Course Park Lahore F9 park in Islamabad and Ayib Park in Rawalpindi. I see a large number of women and girls while I go for the morning walk to Ayub park. Some are alone some with their make companions and some in small group of fenale. My wife and I go almost daily but we both go from different routes as I go direct from the mosque after morning prayers. There are also yoga classes foe men and women in Ayub Park.

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Srinivas Jan 15, 2016 07:19pm

Wow, Bangalore, Cubban Park is near to my Home. its Usually filled with lot of Girls. Have seen ladies chilling out every day. its good place to visit As it houses Century old Central library of the city.

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Rashid Sultan Jan 15, 2016 07:47pm

@Kamran It is about time men learned to respect and leave women alone to be themselves. And gave them right to public spaces without threat or fear.

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goodhopes Jan 15, 2016 08:06pm

Absurd, we are not broad minded enough yet, this can lead to problem we are not willing to face. May be in a few decades.

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Satt Jan 15, 2016 08:20pm

But why you need that campaign in India..I have seen lot of Indian women taking day time nap in Parks.It's common.

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HBK Jan 15, 2016 08:26pm

Sleeping in the open like junkies is women independence. I don't know what to say!

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De Wahab Jan 15, 2016 08:30pm

Such actions by women speak out loud that "yes, there is a difference between man and woman"!!! If you want to do have some sleep and relax under trees, go ahead. There is no need of campaign or something like that!!!

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Agha Ata Jan 15, 2016 08:36pm

Maybe a cassette player would help with low but relaxing music.

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DELHIITE! Jan 15, 2016 09:34pm

@faryal Good if it's true. Why just Pakistani women, every woman in this world must feel very free and safe to do whatever she wants to do. Nobody is supposed to question her. I hope to see that day when no woman is afraid of hawks staring at her, very soon!

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N_Saq Jan 15, 2016 09:45pm

Please beware, first of all their is no enforcement of laws in these two countries to punish the evil men. Secondly, even if the laws are enforced girls need to be extra careful as they are the one who will get hurt. I am for group of girls but not alone. Even in Western countries such practice is discouraged.

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Samina Jan 15, 2016 09:48pm

Please check out the parks in Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Sydney, Vancouver, Singapore and Malaysia. On some days the women outnumber the men. Why can not Pakistan and India be like that ? Why harass the women ?

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sssj Jan 15, 2016 10:18pm

Pakistan is an islamic nation and womens modesty and privacy is part of the faith system...this argument is out of context when applied to Pakistan. Its not that the women are afraid, its just not the norm.

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ROO JAVED Jan 15, 2016 10:54pm

But why just a siesta? It's not common for a woman to lay down in a public park - not even here in Europe. Yes, a family walk or a light exercise would be okay.

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AR Jan 15, 2016 11:26pm

how does napping ina public park and having chai at dhabbas strengthen women..

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Tamil Jan 15, 2016 11:28pm

As an an Indian , I would not recommend this for women in India,considering the rapes that are increasing. Safety comes first. I would not recommend pakistani women to follow this very poor advice.

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k k tiwari Jan 15, 2016 11:53pm

@faryal Yes i agree I saw women on bikes in Lahore .

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Iqbal Hadi Zaidi Jan 16, 2016 12:31am

Wonderful idea to be honest to turn the weaker gender into strong gender. Lady sleeping alone will gain self-confidence coupled with self-reliance which is positive and not negative. However, regretfully the organizers must have police around because may be some sex crazy men may try to play with the sleeping lady. Iqbal Hadi Zaidi / Kuwait / zaidi4merdiplomat@hotmail.com

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M.Saeed Jan 16, 2016 12:37am

Visiting parks by lone women is the norm now, in Islamabad. Reason is simple. Men are too occupied in their daily earning chores that leave them exhausted and need a rest at home while the women or house ladies only find that time convenient to leave children under care and go to get some healthy fresh air in parks and walking tacks which are well spread in the city.

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Aslam Jan 16, 2016 12:51am

We all know how safe is this in India.

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Riaz Uddin Jan 16, 2016 02:27am

Gender equality is a slogan of modern era. The women are also human beings they should not be deprived of the rights which are freely enjoyed by their male counter parts.

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Ajaya K Dutt Jan 16, 2016 06:17am

@Tamil - Rape is rarity in South India. Rape in northern India is because of conflict of culture where women are supposed to stay hidden, but are more emancipated and visible now.

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Random Indian Jan 16, 2016 07:18am

So now the women are ready. But where are the parks they are talking about?

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timbaktwo@aol.com Jan 16, 2016 08:10am

@tamil Tambi! we all know it is not safe. That is why this campign being launched. This is to bring awarness among men and give the rightful place to women in society that is equal gender status.

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Ashutosh Jan 16, 2016 08:48am

@Asif yes you are right... Are they homeless?

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Ajaz Jan 16, 2016 08:51am

Now the times are different. Because of cell phones we are always connected with friends. All the cell phones have cameras and video recording capability. Women are not alone in the park anymore. They should practice to take pictures and videos with their phones and forward it to their friends and family. If they are suspicious of any activity they should forward the picture to their friends or family. If the crook snatches their phone, his picture is already at some other place, in some other phone. With all these safety measures they should feel better to be in the park. With a cell phone they are not alone but connected with their friends and family.

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Ali Jan 16, 2016 09:25am

I don't know why this is even needed in Pakistan. You can see women sleeping under trees in Model town Park or Bag-e-Jinnah in Lahore. This may be needed in India which has a rape crisis but not in Pakistan.

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wellwisher Jan 16, 2016 09:27am

this is a good initiative.Women must come out in public areas and be seen.They must be free.

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rehan Jan 16, 2016 10:42am

Pakistani women don't need to sleep on footpaths to claim their space. They are doing it much more constructive manners.

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Sadaf Jan 16, 2016 11:42am

@Kamran Maybe they should go live in the jungle with the other animals then if they refuse to be human beings with souls instead of just primal instincts.

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M Sethi Jan 16, 2016 12:05pm

From any part of the globe, this type of liberalism makes no sense. Who in his/her right mind and comfort would be willing to do so just to feel a sense of being liberated ?...Rubbish! Many men for that matter roam around in public topless ,should women start doing the same to reflect how liberated they were ...Nonsensically Ridiculous !

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Kailash Jan 16, 2016 12:47pm

@Kamran, "Kindly don't incite woman to mess around man's world with these things. Man is cruel by nature. A man is not safe with another man let alone the woman." May be in your part of World it's true. In Mumbai and other metros also, no one has time or inclination to see whether a woman is alone or with male companion.

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faryal Jan 16, 2016 01:32pm

@DELHIITE! I agree!

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M Sethi Jan 16, 2016 02:24pm

Pakistani women work shoulder to shoulder with the opposite gender in every walk of life, be it private or public sector, government offices, armed forces, judiciary, medical and nursing field, science and technology, media organisations, education and even as elected legislators of provincial and national assemblies, even the office of the Prime Minister at least twice. It wouldn’t be impertinent to wonder how come the United States of America, a country which is most advanced and highly developed, never had a female as head of the state ???. If viewed in light of the above, there appears to be a fallacy that our women are not into decision making processes in the country and are oppressed and majority are still in the kitchen Thus the lingering question “Where is the empowerment and emancipation lacking?” which the foreign aid agency, are so generously funding to promote in Pakistan?

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Woman Jan 16, 2016 02:52pm

This is so ridiculous lol. I'm not sure how sleeping in a park like a homeless beggar is supposed to make me feel liberated?? I'm all thumbs up for feminism but this advice just doesn't make any sense. There are so many other ways to make a woman feel liberated and comfortable in society, but this just isn't one of them.

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Abdulla Hussain Jan 16, 2016 03:33pm

@faryal : Of Course not, they are only careful, they like to value Pakistani culture, they know the border line.

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Saeed Jan 16, 2016 04:55pm

@faryal oye this is not Faislabad

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Arun-KS Jan 16, 2016 09:02pm

We are so judgmental in our approach, esp.we self-obsessed men. Let them do whatever they want. Are they planning to hurt us? They just want to overcome the fear of getting hurt. Go females go, all the best!

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bit saf Jan 16, 2016 09:33pm

@Kamran I think we should rather try to come out of this mindset. Why should a male be necessarily cruel? We have evolved a lot from our early days when we lived in caves in small bands dominated by a vicious and violent alfa male. Since then, there have been many benevolent and selfless men in the civilized world. This shows that we males are also genetically capable of compassion and tenderness. What matters is culture. A culture that celebrates only machismo is sure to elicit only the evil in a male. It's high time we deal with this cultural issue head on.

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FY. Jan 16, 2016 11:17pm

In Pakistan, one can spot women sleeping in parks - even in Bagh -e- Jinnah where this is to be held. Other venues: Model Town Park, Nawaz Sharif Park, Race Course Park, Model Town Park, National Park (Mini-Golf)....

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AMIN Jan 17, 2016 04:31am

It's a wonderful to see our states are trying to protray a softer image of our respected countries, similar to the West. But one should keep in mind, a prompt security, safety and justice system ( equal opportunity ) must be provided to our mothers and sisters. If executed corrcetly it will provide abundance of prosperity.

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