Patriarchal violence

The Women’s Action Forum is proud of the success of a series of Aurat Marches across Pakistan that celebrated International Women’s Day this year. WAF Hyderabad spearheaded its own march with thousands of women demanding land rights and speaking against social, sexual and economic injustices. All these marches included women and men from a wide spectrum of class, educational background, professions and geographical area. Many young women and men at the Aurat Marches spoke candidly on issues that have been hidden under false social politeness. Placards reflected realities of women and girls and covered a whole range of opinions and experiences – from personal to societal and political. What bound the marchers together was their collective protest against centuries of injustices perpetuated by patriarchy. Unfortunately, many men and some women observers reacted fiercely. The issues causing the most ‘offence’ reflect the many discriminations and restrictions that women experience.

It is ironic that these critics are not offended by the sheer scale of sexual harassment, discriminations and restrictions the marchers exposed; their sensibilities are instead injured by the slogans and posters that pointed these out. Surely, those outraged by the rapes and murders of the young Zainabs and Ambreens of Pakistan must realise that the seeds of violence germinate in masculine conceptions of power and not because women expose these with hard-hitting slogans? From the time of Gen Zia ul Haq’s attempts to engineer Islamisation in Pakistan, conservatives have been obsessed with the lengths of women’s shalwars and hair, and what they eat, drink or smoke. Further proof of masculinist violence is evident by the way participants and supporters of the Aurat Marches have been abused on social media; some have even resorted to threats of direct violence and legal action against the women. The state must support the fundamental rights of actual victims of discrimination rather than tolerating those who perpetuate aggression and react viciously when this privilege is challenged. WAF demands that the state act on complaints against those who are threatening to punish women for defying male norms of acceptability and boundaries.

Women’s Action Forum