Marching for equality, rising for justice
Aurat March organisers put forward main demands, pledge to continue to fight injustice, violence against women
Participants holding placards at the Aurat March in Karachi. PHOTO: EXPRESS
KARACHI:
With Aurat March 2020 less than a week away, its organisers have put forward their main demands and reiterated the pledge to continue their struggle against violence, injustices and atrocities inflicted on women and minorities, during a press conference at Karachi Press Club on Tuesday.
Sindh Human Rights Commission (SHRC) chairperson retired Justice Majida Rizvi, a women's rights activist and former caretaker provincial minister Anis Haroon and Chairperson Sindh Commission on the Status of Women Nuzhat Shirin were also in attendance to extend their support to the movement.
Addressing the press conference, Sindh Human Rights Commission (SHRC) Chairperson Justice (retd) Majida Rizvi said that Aurat March was a peaceful, forward-looking movement, aimed at securing women's rights. She said that for the last three years, that march was being organised with the same objective.
"Men and women are entitled to fight for their rights. It is a right given by the Constitution," she said, adding that when rights were violated, it was only natural to voice concerns. At present, women's rights were being violated to a great extent, women were even denied their rights and spaces for women were shrinking, said Rizvi, adding that "we have all gathered [under the umbrella of Aurat March] to raise demands [regarding these issues]."
Endorsing the retired judge's stance, women's rights activist Anis Haroon remarked that she was "delighted to see that a movement that started 40 years ago is now bearing fruit," expressing hope that the young generation too would rally for the cause and attain equal status for women in Pakistan.
"I [also]want to thank the men who are supporting this march because they understand that it's not against those who believe in giving women their constitutional rights and in their equal status," she said, adding that she was proud of the young women fighting for their rights with bravery and resolve.
Haroon further said that the movement was not just confined to women, rather it was a voice and a platform for all the vulnerable and deprived sections of society, including those whose homes were destroyed and snatched from them.
Taking part in the conversation, Sindh Commission on the Status of Women Chairperson Nuzhat Shirin said that the mandate of the Sindh Commission on the Status of Women echoed with that of the Aurat March, as it stated that all women should unite and voice their issues collectively.
"Our mandate is fulfilled when women from all backgrounds raise their voice for themselves, for their safety, for their family, for their children's education and for economic empowerment," she said.
Shirin regretted that associations made for women on government level were still not able to completely achieve the desired results due to "insufficient and inappropriate human and financial resources," urging that these bodies should be further strengthened.
Meanwhile, demands related to ending violence against women, seeking environmental justice, women's portrayal in media, safeguarding women's reproductive health rights and ensuring minorities' protection was also emphasised on the occasion.
Transgender rights
Transgender activists, who were also present on the occasion, vowed to support and participate in the Aurat March on the 8th of this month. Later, they put forward their main demands.
Addressing the press conference, transgender activist Shehzadi lamented that till date there was no law on the rape of transgender persons in the country, claiming that the one that existed did not actually deal with the issue. She said transgender persons faced immense difficulties in getting FIRs registered against rape and cops too mistreated them.
She said transgender persons should also be involved in the political process on provincial and federal levels.
Shehzadi said that she felt empowered by being a part of the Aurat March.
Economic justice
Journalist Afshan Subohi shed light on the importance of increasing women's participation in the economic sector. She said inflation and other economic challenges in the country had a disproportionate impact on women, adding that homemakers particularly understood the problem.
"Women's contribution in the economy is greatly undermined and there is a need to work in that regard especially in understanding women homemakers' role," she said, also urging female participation in finding solutions to economic problems.
Reproductive rights
Discussing female reproductive and sexual rights, university professor Shama Dossa said Pakistan’s maternal mortality rate is 276 which was a matter of extreme shame. She added that a woman dies every 37 minutes in the country. “These deaths can be totally avoided if we spread awareness among the people,” she stressed.
Dossa further said that the Sindh government has played a crucial role in this regard by introducing Sindh Reproductive Rights Act, being the first province to do so.
Minority rights
Talking about the protection of minority rights - one of the key demands - activist Ghazala Shafiq, speaking on the occasion, drew attention towards forced conversions and said that even young boys were not safe anymore.
“Conversion happens in one day and the same day the marriage takes,” she said, appealing to the Sindh government to start legislation on the forceful conversation bill which has been delayed for the past two years. Safina Javed, another minority rights activist while supporting Ghazala’s stance, demanded formation of an independent, impartial commission to safeguard the rights of minorities. She added that the latter were vulnerable to mob violence.
Media’s role
Talking about the importance of media for women’s cause, journalist Uzma Alkarim said media is vital to highlight the issues impacting women on a mass level. She emphasised the need to sensitise people about how to rightly represent and portray women on various media platforms.
“A positive and strong image of women should be portrayed in dramas,” she said, lamenting that women have been stereotyped to only certain kinds of characters.
She further demanded that daycare centres should also be set up in media houses to assist female journalists who were mothers.
With Aurat March 2020 less than a week away, its organisers have put forward their main demands and reiterated the pledge to continue their struggle against violence, injustices and atrocities inflicted on women and minorities, during a press conference at Karachi Press Club on Tuesday.
Sindh Human Rights Commission (SHRC) chairperson retired Justice Majida Rizvi, a women's rights activist and former caretaker provincial minister Anis Haroon and Chairperson Sindh Commission on the Status of Women Nuzhat Shirin were also in attendance to extend their support to the movement.
Addressing the press conference, Sindh Human Rights Commission (SHRC) Chairperson Justice (retd) Majida Rizvi said that Aurat March was a peaceful, forward-looking movement, aimed at securing women's rights. She said that for the last three years, that march was being organised with the same objective.
"Men and women are entitled to fight for their rights. It is a right given by the Constitution," she said, adding that when rights were violated, it was only natural to voice concerns. At present, women's rights were being violated to a great extent, women were even denied their rights and spaces for women were shrinking, said Rizvi, adding that "we have all gathered [under the umbrella of Aurat March] to raise demands [regarding these issues]."
Endorsing the retired judge's stance, women's rights activist Anis Haroon remarked that she was "delighted to see that a movement that started 40 years ago is now bearing fruit," expressing hope that the young generation too would rally for the cause and attain equal status for women in Pakistan.
"I [also]want to thank the men who are supporting this march because they understand that it's not against those who believe in giving women their constitutional rights and in their equal status," she said, adding that she was proud of the young women fighting for their rights with bravery and resolve.
Haroon further said that the movement was not just confined to women, rather it was a voice and a platform for all the vulnerable and deprived sections of society, including those whose homes were destroyed and snatched from them.
Taking part in the conversation, Sindh Commission on the Status of Women Chairperson Nuzhat Shirin said that the mandate of the Sindh Commission on the Status of Women echoed with that of the Aurat March, as it stated that all women should unite and voice their issues collectively.
"Our mandate is fulfilled when women from all backgrounds raise their voice for themselves, for their safety, for their family, for their children's education and for economic empowerment," she said.
Shirin regretted that associations made for women on government level were still not able to completely achieve the desired results due to "insufficient and inappropriate human and financial resources," urging that these bodies should be further strengthened.
Meanwhile, demands related to ending violence against women, seeking environmental justice, women's portrayal in media, safeguarding women's reproductive health rights and ensuring minorities' protection was also emphasised on the occasion.
Transgender rights
Transgender activists, who were also present on the occasion, vowed to support and participate in the Aurat March on the 8th of this month. Later, they put forward their main demands.
Addressing the press conference, transgender activist Shehzadi lamented that till date there was no law on the rape of transgender persons in the country, claiming that the one that existed did not actually deal with the issue. She said transgender persons faced immense difficulties in getting FIRs registered against rape and cops too mistreated them.
She said transgender persons should also be involved in the political process on provincial and federal levels.
Shehzadi said that she felt empowered by being a part of the Aurat March.
Economic justice
Journalist Afshan Subohi shed light on the importance of increasing women's participation in the economic sector. She said inflation and other economic challenges in the country had a disproportionate impact on women, adding that homemakers particularly understood the problem.
"Women's contribution in the economy is greatly undermined and there is a need to work in that regard especially in understanding women homemakers' role," she said, also urging female participation in finding solutions to economic problems.
Reproductive rights
Discussing female reproductive and sexual rights, university professor Shama Dossa said Pakistan’s maternal mortality rate is 276 which was a matter of extreme shame. She added that a woman dies every 37 minutes in the country. “These deaths can be totally avoided if we spread awareness among the people,” she stressed.
Dossa further said that the Sindh government has played a crucial role in this regard by introducing Sindh Reproductive Rights Act, being the first province to do so.
Minority rights
Talking about the protection of minority rights - one of the key demands - activist Ghazala Shafiq, speaking on the occasion, drew attention towards forced conversions and said that even young boys were not safe anymore.
“Conversion happens in one day and the same day the marriage takes,” she said, appealing to the Sindh government to start legislation on the forceful conversation bill which has been delayed for the past two years. Safina Javed, another minority rights activist while supporting Ghazala’s stance, demanded formation of an independent, impartial commission to safeguard the rights of minorities. She added that the latter were vulnerable to mob violence.
Media’s role
Talking about the importance of media for women’s cause, journalist Uzma Alkarim said media is vital to highlight the issues impacting women on a mass level. She emphasised the need to sensitise people about how to rightly represent and portray women on various media platforms.
“A positive and strong image of women should be portrayed in dramas,” she said, lamenting that women have been stereotyped to only certain kinds of characters.
She further demanded that daycare centres should also be set up in media houses to assist female journalists who were mothers.