Veteran Bollywood actress Shabana Azmi has opened up about violence against women. She said that violence against women is a pandemic.
According to details, the Commonwealth Secretariat has started a new campaign to raise voice against the alarming rise in domestic and sexual violence during the coronavirus pandemic.
The campaign has been launched by The Commonwealth Secretariat and the NO MORE Foundation.
Actress Shabana Azmi is supporting the campaign. In a video message, she said, “Violence against women and girls is a pandemic that destroys families, communities, and economies.”
“For far too long, society has not done nearly enough. For far too long, people have said it is a private matter of blame the victim or said she must have done something to deserve it.
“My name is Shabana Azmi, I’m a film and theatre actress from India. And I say no more. No more shame. No more blame. No more excuses. Join me in taking the pledge ‘Commonwealth Says NO MORE’.”
The launch took place at a special virtual event on Wednesday. Several representatives and advocates from across the Commonwealth nations joined the launch, representing nearly one-third of the world’s population.
Apart from Shabana Azmi, other celebrities who joined the campaign included Kiribati President Taneti Maamau, Antigua and Barbuda’s
Governor-General Rodney Williams, New Zealand’s former Prime Minister Helen Clark, British singer and Royal Commonwealth Society’s Ambassador Geri Horner, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed, Pakistani actress Mahira Khan, Ghanaian actress Joselyn Dumas, British actor Colin Salmon, and Australia actor Ryan Johnson.