ISLAMABAD: The Uks Research Centre launched a nationwide awareness and stoppage campaign, #NOTFUNNY, on National Women’s Day.

The week-long campaign aimed to pay tribute to women who have stood up for and who continue to stand up for women’s rights. It aimed to raise awareness regarding jokes that belittle women and that these jokes must not be taken as a source of entertainment and laughter.

This push for zero tolerance for sexist jokes, humour, dialogue, language and interaction followed an interactive panel discussion titled ‘This is Not Funny’, under the Uks Dialogue for Change initiative, where the increased prevalence and use of sexist and misogynistic jokes and language were discussed.

The #NOTFUNNY campaign was launched to reach crosscutting segments of society through social media and get people on board in denouncing humour, satire, jokes and language that glorify misogyny. The response on social media was interesting, with celebrities, journalists and public figures posting their support for responsible, respectful humour.

Anchorperson Madiha Abid Ali tweeted: “I am a woman and I am not going to laugh on your jokes based on women. Zero tolerance for sexism and sexist jokes!”

A sentiment seconded by actor Sarwat Gilani, who tweeted: “Zero tolerance for sexism and sexist jokes!”

Journalist Afia Salam said: “Everyone likes a good joke... How about laughing at some jokes WITH women, not laughing AT them ... Because sexist jokes are #NotFunny!”

While Senator Sherry Rehman retweeted an Uks Research Centre tweet congratulating the organisation on the initiative: “Well done @uksresearch #NotFunny campaign needed to discourage off-colour jokes about women.”

Other celebrities, including Madiha Rizvi, Haris Waheed, Amir Mateen, Yumna Zaidi and Shehzad Roy, also took to Twitter against sexist jokes.

Sexist humour is an insidious expression of sexism that has detrimental social consequences. While the #NotFunny Campaign attracted support from influencers, the case against sexism needs regular folk – men and women – to share experiences.

UN Women Empower Women Champion for Change 2016-17 Mahwash Rehman led a powerful campaign, #Breaktheglass, geared towards achieving women’s economic empowerment and supported the Uks #NOTFUNNY campaign.

She said: “I think it is about time that issues like sexist humour become part of the national discourse, and I am extremely pleased that Uks Research took the #NOTFUNNY initiative. Unfortunately, we have been conditioned to accept this kind of humour for far too long, and have become immune to it.”

She added: “We need to be very careful about the perceptions our children are building about themselves, and that of the other gender. It is our moral responsibility to be ever mindful of our obligation to the new generation. The campaign should not only create awareness among men and young boys to be sensitive to this issue, but also make women and young girls realise not to laugh on anything that demeans them in any way.”

Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2019