Case Study: UN Women

Reality Beyond Dreams

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16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM

UN-Women’s 2022, 16 Days Of Activism campaign was orchestrated by Reality Beyond Dreams. It was a multimedia campaign including print, radio, and digital content and bilingual at the same time, for Urdu and Pashto audiences. An interesting extension of this campaign was the collaboration with Khyber-Pakhtunkhuwa Police. Dawn Of A New Era documentary as well as lecture videos on gender responsive policing for Police officers.

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The themes of this year’s 16 Days Of Activism were child marriage, domestic violence, and workplace harrasment. In federal and KPK provinces UN Women wanted to raise public awareness around these women’s issues.New criminal laws and amendments were made to address these prevailing felonies. A great part of this campaign was to bring to light these new laws for citizens and culprits.First ever women reporting centre was opened by KP Police in former tribal areas. Showcasing this change as well as designing gender responsive video lectures for young police officers was also part of the campaign.

Posters were designed and prominently displayed in over 500 government and law enforcement offices.

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It was a crunch time-window, requiring us all to be on our toes with so much content to be developed, across so many platforms and in two languages.
The cultural and social differences between Urdu and Pashto audiences are stark. Developing an appropriate message with the right tone that accommodated concern as well as values of both audiences was a balancing art.

Training Manual for Law Enforcement: Handling Cases of Violence Against Women

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A predominantly women team was assigned for the project to use their personal experiences as well as nuanced understanding of these sensitive themes. For Radio Public service messages a diverse group of popular figures was engaged to not only amplify the impact but also contextualise the message according to theme and area. Cleric for a message with religious undertone,a women folk singer for remote pashto communities. External experts were hired to eradicate any chances of errors in earnest. Legal experts for constitutional aspects, language experts for translations.

Public service messages were delivered by TV celebrities, renowned journalists, and key stakeholders from both the government and private sectors.

Two legendary figures, one from the folk music scene and the other a respected film heroine, both widely followed and admired in Pakistan, recorded powerful public service announcements condemning child marriages.

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Raised awareness on themes like violence against women, child marriage, and workplace harassment. Our video lectures are helping KP Police to implement a gender responsive police system.In former tribal areas it helped KP Police show its shift towards a most inclusive system. It also highlighted a support network for oppressed women in the form of region’s first ever women reporting center.

DAWN OF NEW ERA

In the northwest of Pakistan, the former tribal areas have long operated outside the jurisdiction of state law. Community decisions were primarily made by councils of male elders, leaving women without a voice in matters impacting their lives. This patriarchal system underwent a significant transformation in 2018 when these areas were merged into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, extending civil and criminal rights to the local population for the first time and marking a shift toward inclusivity.
One of the most notable developments during this transition was the establishment of the first Women Reporting Center in Parachinar, a town located at the foot of the Tora Bora mountains, which border Afghanistan. This centre was not merely a facility; it represented a crucial turning point for women in the region. It offered a safe space for women to seek assistance and exercise their civil and judicial rights—decisions that had traditionally been dictated by male family members or tribe elders.
Our documentary, Dawn of a New Era, aimed to highlight this transformative change, with the Women Reporting Center as the central figure in this narrative. Initially, Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) KPK, Dr. Quraish Khan, was sceptical. He had previously attempted to produce a documentary on this subject. His earlier experience had resulted in failure, due to a team of inexperienced filmmakers. However, after our first meeting, he expressed a renewed sense of optimism, noting that he had finally found the right team for the project.
Maintaining a camera presence in public spaces in Parachinar is fraught with challenges and significant risks. Capturing visuals of women is particularly contentious, often regarded as a near taboo. To address this conundrum, we devised a strategy: our filming crew would consist entirely of women, accompanied by a male co-director. This approach allowed access to restricted areas and empowered our team to engage meaningfully with the community.
Never before, nor since, have the streets of Parachinar seen women wielding cameras to document not just the bustling city life or local vendors but also the experiences of other women. Most of the women in our documentary wore veils, sometimes obscuring their identities, but even within these constraints, our presence began to challenge societal norms and dismantle barriers in a traditionally male-dominated environment.
Initially, we worked from a list of potential interviewees provided by Dr. Quraish. However, it quickly became evident that this approach barely scratched the surface of the complexities of women’s experiences in the region. We took the initiative to expand our inquiries, reaching out to journalists, school teachers, local women, and beneficiaries. This deeper outreach allowed us to assemble a more comprehensive narrative, capturing the diverse voices that reflect the community.
As a women-led company, working on Dawn of a New Era was not only a source of pride but also a significant achievement. It allowed us to elevate the voices of women in a patriarchal society, providing them a platform to share their stories in ways previously unimaginable.
Another major challenge was capturing drone footage of the city. Given the sensitive nature of the area, drone flights were prohibited, even under police supervision. Undeterred, we turned to guerrilla filmmaking techniques, reflecting our commitment to capturing essential establishing and transitional visuals.
Throughout our interactions with locals, Dr. Quraish Khan emerged as a focal point of change. While some locals expressed mixed feelings about the merger and the Women Reporting Center, Dr. Quraish remained highly respected. Recognizing his influence and contributions, we decided to feature him as the film’s narrator. While the documentary centres on women’s stories, his role as AIG has been instrumental in advocating for their rights.
Despite the dedicated efforts of Dr. Quraish Khan and his team, women’s representation in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police remains alarmingly low, at less than 4%. This statistic reflects various challenges, including societal pressures and ongoing security concerns, which make policing an unattractive career choice—even for men in the region.
Under Dr. Quraish Khan’s leadership, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police aims to foster inclusivity—a vision that aligns closely with our values. Together, we are forging a partnership that leverages our respective strengths to advance a more inclusive society.