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Sharmeen Obaid's latest short has a message for women in forced marriages

The director’s series Aagahi aims to educate Pakistani women about their legal rights

29 Jun, 2019

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy has been working on educating Pakistani women about their legal rights.

The filmmaker's series Aagahi has been making the rounds, even being nominated at The 66th Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity for the Sustainable Development Goals Lions in the Gender Equality category.

The latest episode talks about forced marriages and what rights a woman has under such circumstances.

Says the description, "According to Pakistani law, every girl is free to choose who to marry. In this episode of the series, Forced Marriage [Zabardasti Ki Shaadi], the film describes what can be considered as a forced marriage and highlights existing laws that currently exist to protect women and children from this practice."

The video is narrated by Aamina Sheikh and talks about what constitutes as forced marriages, including topics like vanni.

This is episode 7 of a seven month long campaign.

Comments

HashBrown® Jun 29, 2019 05:52pm

SOC is one of the greatest modern day gifts given to Pakistan. The kinds of subjects she tackles are some of the things that are having the most devastating effect on Pakistani society, and the work she does to raise awareness is simply awesome. Very, very proud to know that she is from our soil.

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Ahmed Mobeen Jun 29, 2019 07:16pm

There is no place in Islam on forced marriage. This is a cultural issue based on money and power consolidation

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Ali Xai Jun 29, 2019 08:14pm

Doing good work but in the cover of Wolf. If they donot pose like this the western agencies may nit release funding to these folks. They present 60 % pisitive with a mix of 40% other stuff so their mix masala could sell in the market

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Mastang Jun 29, 2019 08:29pm

Kindly make one move on spinters. Unmarried womens.

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Newborn Jun 29, 2019 09:56pm

Why can't this woman ever make something positive. She's a seller of sadness.

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HAROON RASHID Jun 29, 2019 10:04pm

An excellent effort aiming to create awareness regarding the issue of Forced Marriages. More better results are achievable if support of enlightened religious scholars is sought on the score. Because the section of the society which is the worst sufferer pay heed to what comes from the religious scholars.

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Bhaijan Jun 29, 2019 10:38pm

It will be much appreciated if Sharmeen just care to investigate the women from Punjab in line to wed Chinese men.

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Rmalik Jun 30, 2019 02:46am

Parents who force their daughters to marry against their wish are committing a sin. It is a well known fact that daughters, and not the sons who care for the elderly parents. The daughters are human beings and not animals who you trade against their wish. if the parents spend the same amount of money for their daughters' education, what they spend for their sons, India and Pakistan will join the club of nations where girls and boys are treated equally.

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Masood riaz Jun 30, 2019 07:34am

Forced marriages acid in faces thrown in rivers honor killings, forgive me if I’ve missed anything she’s confirming the worst possible stereotypes the word has about us yes off-course pakistani women are uneducated and ignorant but unfortunately that privilege has already been taken by another acolyte.

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Illawarrior Jun 30, 2019 08:37am

The big problem is that most of those in forced marriages (male and female) were forced by their parents, and they don't want to see their parents go to prison for their crime. This video should be compulsory viewing PRIOR to marriage, to ensure prospective brides and grooms know their rights. Yes, it happens to men too, whose families threaten to disconnect them.

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Laila Jun 30, 2019 01:16pm

@Masood riaz I don't follow your logic. Are you saying she shouldn't highlight our common everyday social issues which effects theivew of millions of Pakistani females, some not even adults, beause you fear an image problem? How about making this beautiful country safe for our females, where violence and force is punished, females don't have to fear acid attacks, being thrown in the river, raped, be victims of Karo Kari or Vani, beaten, molested, harassed and help that image?

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Laila Jun 30, 2019 01:20pm

@Ali Xai Your priorities are messed up. Badly. She highlights the issues we had, there is no wolf in sheep clothing except for the mullahs, politicians and people like you, who object to our problems being highlighted but not to the crimes being perpetuated against our females EVERY DAY. How about you make Pakistan safe for females then we won't have to make documentaries about it? Films, music, arts, documentaries know no offers. It's universal. Stop blaming the Messenger. CHANGE the message

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Laila Jun 30, 2019 01:24pm

@Newborn because our society is crippled by these issues and this happens daily. Because you have to be female to know what we go through. Because we have no agency. No protection. Not even from our own family. No way to run or hide. We have no social welfare. Men own us. We have no rights. We have no voice. THAT'S WHY. I am guessing you are not female and morefon er Ed with how the world perceives us rather than make society safe do females so we ouoet have to highlight these issues.

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Laila Jul 01, 2019 04:42am

@Rmalik I dont know a single household where the daughters care for the elderly parents. In average pakistani households, girls are raised as guests. Once they marry they are usually expected to move in with the husband and his family and take care of them too. What about the girls parents especially if she has no brothers? Tough luck. This is just another indian/hindu tradition we have adopted; joint family. Another sign of ignorance. Parents should not force their children. Its wrong.

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Laila Jul 01, 2019 04:47am

@Masood riaz You shoud read "“Shall I Feed My Daughter, or Educate Her?" Barriers to Girls’ Education in Pakistan" dated November 12, 2018 on hrw. Illiteracy is real in Pakistan and still high especially for women. Without education, ignorance rises. Still many who are literate dont avail their legal or islamic rights. So ignorance isnt cured by education. We have real issues going on. Either help women or dont judge.

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Masood riaz Jul 01, 2019 09:02am

@Laila You’re right I’ve changed my perspective, in other words to find a solution, to those ingrained flaws in the fabric of our society the ill’s have to be brought to the forefront and an admirable public service is being done, one hope that the cries of the innocents are heard.

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Laila Jul 02, 2019 04:48pm

@Masood riaz That's great, Masood. Ever little bit helps. All the best.

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Umar Jul 04, 2019 10:29am

What about forced marriages of males there are many cases i know of but they never complain.

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