Aurat March seeks raise in health budget

LAHORE:A large number of young women and men participated in the Aurat March on Monday. This year the theme of Aurat March was women’s health with the focus on reproductive wellbeing.

The number of participants is growing rapidly in the march being held regularly for the last four years. The participants demanded raising the health budget by 5 percent of GDP. Despite COVID-19 fears, hundreds of young people had arrived with placards in their hands conveying different messages. The one common message they had was ‘give women the right to choose’.

The people marched from Lahore Press Club to the end of Egerton Road where the stage was set. The Aurat March demanded justice for rape victims. A powerful street theatre was staged on rape issue. Another play was staged by Sangat. Dr Alia of Aurat March talked about women’s health. The focus was on reproductive health. She said women go through several pregnancies at the cost of their health in the hope of a son. A transgender person was carrying a placard that said, ‘No job, no space, no education for us’. Another placard read, ‘500 transgender people have been murdered since 2005’.

Another rights activist Syeda Ghulam Fatima said “Women should continue their struggle until they get rid of all kinds of oppression.” A girl coming to the Aurat March for four years said, “By being here we are claiming the space.”