Patriarchal structures shaken to their core

An ‘Aurat Azadi March’ was observed after residents gathered outside the Islamabad Press Club on Monday and marched towards D-Chowk to commemorate International Women’s Day in the federal capital. In view of last year’s attack by a group of men pelting stones and attacking them with sticks, this year the participants were escorted by police officials to ensure their safety.

The organisers brought together women belonging to different socio-economic, religious and ethnic backgrounds on a common platform to protest against patriarchal structures that limit women’s rights. The foremost demand of the march this year was based on healthcare rights in light of the global theme of ‘Achieving an equal future in a Covid-19 world’.

In this regard, Aurat Foundation hosted a Women Leadership Assembly at the Rawalpindi Press Club (RPC) followed by a women's rally in Rawalpindi on Monday.

The celebration brought together women leaders from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan Peoples Party, along with human rights activists, artists and around 100 other women under the network ‘Women Alliance Pakistan’.

Read Women from across the country take to the streets to celebrate their day

Renowned human rights activist Tahira Abdullah presented a list of demands, which included the inclusion of women, transgender and youth in all parts of the local government, including access to votes, local governments having the same quota for women representatives as the federal government, the creation of women caucuses and improvements to women councillor programs.

She further highlighted the need to recognise that women are human beings and should not be forced to return to homes where they are being abused and that there is a need for feminist training of counsellors in local reconciliation and arbitration committees.

High Commission of Canada Head of Cooperation Christopher Khung emphasised the need to include men in the struggle for women's rights and underscored that Pakistan cannot develop if its women are not empowered, stressing the full support of the Canadian government for the women of Pakistan's struggle for their political rights.

Aurat Foundation Director Programmes Mumtaz Mughal noted the bravery of women throughout history from 1908 who have made International Women's Day a possibility. She thanked all the women who came out and asked them to commit to educating girls, voting in elections immediately, not to arrange the marriage of any girl before the age of 18, to work to end violence against women and to vow to read their nikkah prior to marriage.

Meanwhile National Commission on Rights of Child (NCRC) Chairperson Afshan Tehseen applauded the extraordinary role of women and girls in the country’s progress on the occasion of International Women’s Day being observed in the federal capital on Monday. Celebrated globally on March 8, it aims to highlight the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, including girls.

She mentioned that this year’s theme is ‘Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a Covid-19 world’, which celebrates the tremendous efforts of women and girls around the world in shaping a more equal future and recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. “The theme highlights how women can be made equal partners in the decision-making process especially with regard to policymaking,” she added.

Tehseen called upon all duty bearers and civil society members to accelerate their efforts for the availability of protection services for young women with the aim to provide equal access to quality education.

“Girls can be powerful agents of change and nothing should keep them from participating fully in all areas of life,” she stated, adding that we must show full commitment by dedicating the required resources for girls to realise their rights and fulfil their potential.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 9^th, 2021.