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Mera Jism Mera Hai
An illustrated Children’s Guide to Protection from Unsafe Touch
By Ashhad Qureshi
To order the Sindhi version, contact:
- 0331-2285746
- 0222-780908
Note: To keep the price low, the content of the Sindhi version is in black-and-white. The Urdu and English versions of the book, however, remain in full color.
THE BOOK
Mera Jism Mera Hai is an illustrated children’s book in Urdu, the first of its kind in Pakistan, that helps children and parents navigate the complex conversations around body boundaries, personal space, and safety planning as it pertains to sexual abuse prevention. It also contains an activity for children, guidance for parents/guardians, and links to free mental health resources.
It is a product of years of research and field-testing and has been vetted by mental health professionals, professors, public health experts, health workers, and members of the community to ensure its language, content, and style of delivery are culturally sensitive and appropriate for children.
The vision is to have this book incorporated into school curricula, used as a part of community outreach by NGOs, and become a household read for children in Pakistan and the wider diaspora.
THE AUTHOR
Ashhad Qureshi (uh-sh-hud koh-reh-shee) is an alumnus of the University of Chicago, where he majored in South Asian Languages and Civilizations. Having lived in both Pakistan and the United States, Ashhad has had the opportunity to witness the intersectionality of identity and mental health as it exists in the South Asian community.
He has worked in the mental health departments of multiple public health organizations over the course of several years, which has informed his approach to addressing mental health issues. In college, he was the founder and president of UChicago MannMukti, a student organization with the goal to destigmatize mental health in the South Asian community.
Currently, he works as a crisis support specialist on the national sexual assault hotline and is pursuing a medical degree to fulfil his dream of becoming a psychiatrist.
"Such amazing work! Very well done for addressing such a sensitive issue in a beautiful way."
- Sabika Ishaq
Co-Founder, OurSmallWonders
"A great initiative, Ashhad! It is well thought out and tone sensitive. Impressive illustrations, Aziza!"
- Maria Shaikh
Psychotherapist
"It’s a beautiful, empowering, and liberating book. I hope that it makes the impact that we all are hoping for."
- Fawzia Salahuddin
Owner, Taha's School
"As an educator and a grandparent, I find this book very insightful, and I love the fact that it’s in Urdu to reach a wider audience."
- Aine Arfin
Principal, Bay View High School
"A very good book for all children. As a working physician, I regularly see the case of verbal, sexual, and mental abuse to children. I purchased this book for my 2 daughters to enlighten them about the abuse. Hats off to the team for the publication of this untold hidden dust of our society."
- Naeem Uddin Kanwal
Physician Scientist
"I have been searching for such books which could give a local touch to children and I am amazed at the work done by the author and his team. I highly recommend parents to get this for their children."
- Syed Ommer Amer
Award-Winning Social Entrepreneur
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