I am a feminist but it does not mean I hate men
KARACHI: International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the achievements of women everywhere. It is a day to pay tribute to the amazing women of our time. Pakistan has had some great female personalities like Fatima Jinnah, who was a source of the awakening of women’s rights. Benazir Bhutto was the first female Prime Minister and head of a Muslim state. She was respected for her unique style of governing. Arfa Karim was only with us for a short time but she was a tremendous inspiration to Pakistanis and students, becoming youngest Microsoft certified professional. Fatima Lodhi was awarded the Woman of Excellence & Young Woman Leadership Award, being the first Pakistani to have taken a stand against colourism. Last but not least, Malala Yousufzai is an educational activist and the youngest Nobel Prize winner, symbolising Pakistani women’s fight for education.
Pakistanis can celebrate this day proudly. I am a feminist but it does not mean I hate men. It means I believe in equality because I believe in social change in society, equality and making society and the world a more equal place. Women should use their power because they can do anything and nothing is impossible for them. It will not be until women use their power and fully participate in society to push agendas of change. The number of women and girls murdered in the name of honour in Pakistan is high because of the jirga system that exists in all districts of rural parts of the country. This cruel culture must come to an end in our society and women can help the cause by simply standing up for themselves. Another major problem is forced marriage, which remains an issue in every province. To change the psyche, we need to completely change the social environment of individuals and communities. This is not an issue of religion so much as a cultural practice that violates one’s rights as a woman and as a Muslim. The act of forcing someone to marry is, in fact, an act that is against the practices and teachings of Islam.
Ayesha Khan Ansari
Published in The Express Tribune, March 8th, 2017.
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