Saba Taimoor Shirakat (Pakistan) Final Internship Report
Saba Taimoor Shirakat (Pakistan) Final Internship Report
Shirakat (Pakistan)
Final Internship Report
3. Participating in Rescue-Missions
Throughout the summer, I had several opportunities to travel with
Shirakat team through the rural countryside and assist them in
carrying out “rescue missions” – which involve removing girls
from abusive situations. For example, one such mission involved
traveling to the remote villages in the hills of eastern Pakistan to
remove several young girls at risk of being married off to an older
man in order to appease the avenging spirits that were believed to
be haunting the village. Shirakat organized an informal tribunal
with village chiefs, elders, and police officers to help stop the
planned early marriages and educate the community about the
importance of postponing marriage until a girl has attained the age
of 18. This was an incredible experience and allowed me the
opportunity to develop an appreciation for the deep-rooted cultural
and traditional practices that can sometimes complicate efforts to
seek the advancement of women and girls.