Published 15 Jan, 2016 03:59pm

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

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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