| “I was only 16 years old, but my family did not | | | | also offers educational courses/tuitions for girls |
| have the money and we badly needed some. I did | | | | women who have discontinued their education. “I |
| not know anything about marriage nor did I know | | | | had discontinued my education at 14 because I was |
| who I was getting married to all I wanted to do was | | | | not allowed to step outside my house. I joined |
| make some money. I thought all people in the Gulf | | | | Shaheen for learning henna and I got a lot of support |
| were prosperous. I had no idea what I was getting | | | | from the workers there to continue my education. |
| into and suffered terribly for it.” | | | | Now I have completed my through distance |
| These are the words of Nazia who got married to a | | | | education.” adds Arshiya another one of |
| 75 year old Sheik from a middle-eastern country. Her | | | | Shaheen’s products. |
| story is like that of many girls in the old city who are | | | | Shaheen has a set of very dedicated workers who |
| poor and get deceived by marriage brokers in search | | | | visit houses and try and know the status of women |
| of a better life but alas that dream is shattered by | | | | there and there are several problems associated with |
| the harsh realities of being a part of human | | | | that as people do not allow the workers in as they |
| trafficking for most of these bright young women of | | | | fell that their conversation with the women of the |
| Hyderabad. | | | | house will corrupt the moral fabric of the household. |
| “I was sent a talaq-nama by post after I spent | | | | “Most women are not aware of their potential |
| two weeks with the Sheik and he left me promising | | | | and rights, our workers help them realize that. In fact |
| to send for me there. I was shattered! When I | | | | many of our field workers were just students for |
| returned to my house my parents wanted me to | | | | vocational workers or have been helped by us as |
| work as a domestic help in houses but I refused to | | | | they were victims of domestic abuse. These women |
| do that as I wanted to do tailoring or become a | | | | have been through that and want to help others |
| beautician, coming to Shaheen is a great experience | | | | who are in their position now.” says Jameela who |
| for me I feel happy doing the vocational courses | | | | is fondly referred to as Jameelaji, Jameela Aunty and |
| offered here. I believe I am on my way to doing | | | | Jameela Didi. For many girls in the old city this is the |
| what I want to do instead of being forced into | | | | only place which teaches them to fight back against |
| things.” | | | | domestic violence. They have an active domestic |
| There is a ray of hope in the form of the white | | | | violence counseling centre and a lawyer for |
| falcon which encourages women to speak up and | | | | consultation |
| demand their rights. In the congested by-lanes of the | | | | As this is a place which encourages women to speak |
| Old-City around Charminar in Hyderabad, lies Shaheen | | | | up against men who are usually their husbands and |
| a Women’s resource and welfare organisation. | | | | their families it does not go down well with most |
| This is one the few NGO’s in the country that | | | | people and as a result there are constant threats to |
| works for Women’s welfare and empowerment. | | | | these women. In response to this Jameelaji says, |
| The organisation works on the principle that change | | | | “I keep getting threats which are verbal and |
| happens when cultural norms are challenged. | | | | even sometimes physical but I am born in this part of |
| “Indeed change is what we require with regards | | | | town and know how to deal with people here. Our |
| to the status of Women in India.”, echoes | | | | organization has to bear the brunt of many |
| Jameela Nishat Founder and Secretary of Shaheen | | | | disgruntled men and upset religious organizations, but |
| Women’s Welfare and Resource Centre. | | | | we have to take these things into our stride. We |
| “Women in the city are not free to express their | | | | often have groups coming of men coming to |
| opinion or feelings and the recent attack on | | | | threaten us.” |
| Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen in Hyderabad is | | | | This centre serves as a ray of hope for many |
| proof of that. Women are targeted everywhere may | | | | women around the old city and its surrounding areas. |
| it be religious extremism, human trafficking, | | | | The organisation also has an active rural centre to |
| pornography or even globalisation.” | | | | serve the women who live in villages or the outskirts |
| Shaheen began as an effort to fight for | | | | of the city. The larger objective is that Women need |
| women’s rights back in 1987 during a conference | | | | to be a part of the socio-economic development of |
| of men in the old city which was titled, “Woh | | | | the country to progress and need to have equal |
| mard ki kya joh apni biwi ko nahi marta?”(He | | | | rights as our constitution guarantees that to every |
| who does not beat his wife physically is not a man). | | | | citizen of India. Why should women be left behind or |
| This inspired Jameela Nishat founder member and a | | | | considered after the men? Organisations like this |
| resident of the old city to speak up for the women | | | | form the basis of a new social movement for |
| there and around the country. “Domestic violence | | | | recognising the importance of women’s rights |
| is not confined to the poor and women from affluent | | | | and the girl child. To lend a helping hand and further |
| families are also treated very badly, the concept of | | | | this cause contact. |
| controlling and disciplining a wife is absurd. Something | | | | The Shaheen Centre at |
| had to be done, and Shaheen was born.” | | | | 23-3-540, Baqshi Bazar, Sultan Shahi, |
| Shaheen (the falcon which flies at the highest | | | | Hyderabad-500065, |
| altitude) signifies the encouragement women need, to | | | | Andhra Pradesh, |
| aim higher. This organization runs vocational training | | | | India. |
| courses like sewing, henna application, tailoring and | | | | |