ISLAMABAD: The 15-point manifesto of the Aurat March, released by its core committee, is by and large what every sane, democratic Pakistani demands.
It makes no mention of the offensive slogans raised or inscribed on placards displayed by its participants in last year’s demonstration, which they are poised to repeat on Sunday. As the day of the rally drew close, an intense controversy ensued and tension built up with some religious elements threatening to block the show. It will be seen on Sunday when the march will be held whether the focus will be on distasteful slogans or the acceptable points of the manifesto.
If the nauseating slogans are set aside, most of the demands figuring in the manifesto are stated in the Constitution of Pakistan, but which have mostly not been implemented over decades.
Ironically, the manifesto, containing fine points, seems to be an afterthought following famous drama writer Khalilur Rehman Qamar’s use of profane language against civil society activist and aggressive supporter of the Aurat March slogans Marvi Sirmad in a TV show.
Nobody will dispute or question several demands, written in the manifesto, which are often vociferously raised by political parties but are not paid any attention when they come to power.
It will be instructive to have a look at the Aurat March demands, unfolded by its core committee three days back. They included: There should be an end to the International Monetary Fund-sponsored economic policies and budget cuts; inflation of basic foods, whose burden was felt by working-class women, be immediately controlled; a minimum of Rs40,000 wage be fixed for workers; safe and equal workplaces be provided through criminalization of discrimination; defamation laws be decriminalized; domestic violence be criminalized in all territories; anti-harassment laws and sexual assault laws be amended to include all genders to be complainants; concrete actions be taken to curb child sexual abuse and exploitation; campuses be demilitarized and surveillance of students be ceased; justice for all the families of those who have been victims of enforced disappearances; Kashmiris’ right to self-determination be upheld; community-led truth and reconciliation commissions be made to deal with violence by state and non-state actors; the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2017 be implemented; all laws impinging on civil freedoms be repealed and the preservation of, and transparency from big corporations on the use of, our natural resources be ensured. The core committee explained that demanding bodily rights was a basic human right regardless of age. It extended to children as well, and was especially important to think of with regards to the widespread incidents of child sexual abuse and murder.
Nobody in the right frame of mind will have reservations to these demands. Rather everybody will be willing to extend support to them. However, the focus has been on condemnation of inappropriate slogans and rightly so because of the row these have generated. The Aurat March has the potential to become a movement, earning support of different segments of society, provided its organizers bury the unacceptable slogans.
Those backing its most quoted slogan of “mera jism, meri marzi” (my body, my right) have come out with a host of explanations after it attracted widespread denunciation. In fact, such elaboration was not intended or meant when this mantra was coined and chanted.
It is this slogan, among others, that has brought about a clear political divide. The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has stood with the Aurat March without ifs and buts, which means that it sides with all of its slogans as well. The Jamiat Ulemae Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Jamaat-e-Islami decried the march in severe terms. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) are not opposed to the Aurat March but dissociated themselves from the questionable slogans, terming them against the religion, values and culture of the society. Even the dubious slogans, which have been given too much importance, overshadowing its other demands, by the Aurat March of Pakistan, are not cited by the United Nations while calling for observing the International Women’s Day (IWD). According to the UN, the IWD is a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women, who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities. The world has made unprecedented advances, but no country has achieved gender equality. Fifty years ago, we landed on the moon; in the last decade, we discovered new human ancestors and photographed a black hole for the first time. In the meantime, legal restrictions have kept 2.7 billion women from accessing the same choice of jobs as men. Less than 25 per cent of parliamentarians were women, as of 2019. One in three women experiences gender-based violence, still. Let’s make 2020 count for women and girls everywhere.
The theme of IWD 2020 is, I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights. It is aligned with UN Women’s new multigenerational campaign, Generation Equality, which marks the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the most progressive roadmap for the empowerment of women and girls, everywhere. This year we will also be celebrating other major UN anniversaries, such as the 10th anniversary of the establishment of UN Women, among others. The emerging global consensus is that despite some progress, real change has been agonizingly slow for the majority of women and girls in the world. Today, not a single country can claim to have achieved gender equality. Multiple obstacles remain unchanged in law and in culture. Women and girls continue to be undervalued; they work more and earn less and have fewer choices; and experience multiple forms of violence at home and in public spaces. Furthermore, there is a significant threat of rollback of hard-won feminist gains. The year 2020 represents an un-missable opportunity to mobilize global action to achieve gender equality and human rights of all women and girls.
