New Delhi: In 2018, feminists in Pakistan decided to mark International Women's Day to speak up for various rights, including gender rights and equality, by taking out march which they called “Aurat March.”
This annual event, since its inception, has received all sorts of reaction, ranging from inspiring public discourse, scholarly papers and research to a counter “Haya March”, criticism, ridicule and threats.
The Aurat March is not just limited to demanding gender equality but also economic justice, implementation of labour rights, provision of maternity leave and daycare centres, promotion of an anti-war agenda, access to a fair judicial system, the inclusion of women with disabilities and the transgender community among a plethora of issues.
Aurat March: Inception
Founders of Aurat March conceived the idea in 2018 in Pakistan’s financial capital, Karachi, which then inspired activists from across the country, who then organised similar events in their cities.
While the march is called ‘Aurat March’ in Multan, Lahore and Karachi, cities of Hyderabad, Islamabad, Mardan, and Quetta organise the event under the name of ‘Aurat Azadi March’, there is no joint consensus regarding the same though.
Aurat March 2022: Theme
The theme for this year’s Aurat March focuses on labour rights and equal wages with the theme of #UjratTahafuzAurSukoon (Wages, Security and Peace). “For our fifth march this year, the focus of our demands is our hard work and labour. Join us in advancing these demands. Join us in raising the slogan Wages, Security and Peace,” read the tweet by the official Twitter handle of Aurat March.
Activists of the Aurat March this year have composed an Urdu rendition of tradiotional song 'Kudiye Meray Des Diye' anthem of the Pinjra Tod moment in India by getting inspired from the moment.
Backlash For The Event
The protests have faced a mixed reaction since its starting. While on one hand it is viewed as a generational shift with more young people taking the lead and inspiring scholarly papers and research, it has also received a lot of flak from the orthodox groups in the country.
As a counter to the Aurat March which advocates “Mera jism meri marzi’ (my body my rules), clerics and other women opposed to the moment have come up with ‘Haya (Modesty) March’.
Pakistan’s Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Minister Noorul Haque Qadri had written to the Prime Minister Imran Khan last month to observe March 8 as International Hijab Day — on the sidelines of Hijab Row in India — claiming the Aurat March held across the country as going against the principles of Islam.