Baithak aims to build a dialogue among different genders and create a safe space for them to openly discuss their perspectives on sexual and gender-based violence. The session will put a strong emphasis on equipping participants with the knowledge needed to act as bystanders in GBV incidents by putting safety first, while allowing them to voice out their concerns. This interactive session will allow the audience to share their opinions and experiences, along with expectations that they have from their community on how they can develop an environment that is supportive to survivors of GBV.
Ayesha Amin
Ayesha Amin is the founder of Baithak, a non-profit which works in rural Pakistan to improve women's access to reproductive health and rights, and to combat gender-based violence. Baithak's programs have impacted thousands of women, and has trained over 500 young activists in GBV and SRHR advocacy. Gul is Baithak's most recent initiative, an AI powered voicebot that aims to educate young people about GBV and SRHR. Ayesha is a Fulbright Scholar with a Master's degree in Social Policy from UPenn, where she worked on educating students about GBV and Bystander Intervention.
Amna Salim
Amna is a core team member of Baithak, an organization that has been working towards increasing awareness when it comes to reproductive health rights in Karachi and Sindh. She has facilitated sessions with both men and women, which have not only increased the audience's level of awareness on these topics but has also empowered them to make informed decisions when it comes to important issues. She is also the co-creator of Nisa Kahaniyan, a comic book series which aims to educate young girls about sensitive topics like puberty and menstruation in a more culturally appropriate manner.
Samra Maqbool
Samra is a public health nutritionist and has been working on maternal and child health projects since the last four years. She is also a core team member at Baithak -Challenging Taboos. A UGRAD alum, Samra has also been co-leading a project titled Nisa Kahaniyan which focuses on educating young girls on menstrual health management through comic books. In response to the recent floods in Pakistan, Samra has been very actively engaged in working on ground in IDP camps set up for flood affectees, where she has campaigned to ensure dignity for flood-affected women.
