The Aurat March is held on the 8th March of every year, which is International Women’s Day. The Aurat March is held for the basic rights of women in Pakistan. But Social Media exclusively shows the negative side of Aurat March always those placards that convey messages that are against our norms and customs and even religion. But, the other side of Aurat March is quite different from the current picture shown on Social media.
When we hear about the Aurat March some sort of negative placards come into our minds that we have to ignore but we should look into the other side which is quite positive. The main purpose behind this March is to provide basic rights to women such as the right to education, the right of freedom- as given by religion, the right of health and so on.
Read more: The problem with Aurat March
Understanding the actual matter
These objectives could not gain fame because we focus on objects that appeal us or fascinate us to malign Aurat March. If we raise these types of points on social media then some people say that they had never found such concepts in Aurat March thereby they misjudged the entire Aurat March on the basis of few placards, which may consist of 10 to 15 percent. If someone says that such Aurat March is not necessary for women’s rights, then we have to work on the rights of women individually or the government must pay some heed on protecting the exploitation of women’s rights.
When we look into our tribal areas, Gilgit Baltistan and villages of Pakistan, it seems the need of the hour because fundamental rights of women and even of men are not conferred upon. For this purpose, we as a nation, raise our voice for the cornerstone rights of women. If we do not raise our voice, then a few mafias will hijack the whole country, as the mafia has hijacked Aurat March. They use it for their own purpose or for their own needs. A particular class cannot represent the whole nation. Some people have contrasting opinions about Aurat March.
Read more: ‘Aurat March’ in Pakistan: Feminists vs Mullahs!
They are of the view that the women of urban areas enjoy the freedom of expression, freedom of education, freedom of health and so on. So, why do they raise voices for the rights of women? Besides, they admit that women of the village, who are in difficulties, do not raise their voice for themselves. They own the statement of Aurat March that women are not empowered in villages and our majority of citizens belong to villages. So we have to raise our voice for the rights of women. So, such March will not get hype and our women will get their rights with our combined efforts.
The writer is a social activist. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Global Village Space’s editorial policy.