March 8th, 2022 marked the fifth year of Pakistanian’s Aurat March (Women’s March). Known as International Women’s Day, Pakistani women have continued to face criticism from conservatives. The World Economic Forum even ranks “Pakistan 151 out of 153 countries in its 2020 Global Gender Gap Index Report,” highlighting the opposition women face (DW). A common argument from anti-feminists states that the Aurat March defies Islamic values, instead of promoting Western values. In fact, Pakistan minister for religious affairs, Noor-ul-Haq Qadri demanded that Imran Khan, Pakistan’s Prime Minister, counter the Aurat March by declaring March 8th Hijab Day instead. And while march organizers recognize that there’s no reason to choose between the two events, they argue it’s still one’s personal choice what they choose to celebrate. Thus, “more than 1,000 veiled women” created and attended their marches to counter pro-gender equality rallies (The Guardian). Utilizing a more violent approach, the president of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl, which is a majority political party led by clerics, threatened protestors with batons. Threats of murder, rape, and other forms of online abuse have even caused Aurat March leaders to deactivate their social media. Regardless, Pakistani women have continued to take charge and hold their Aurat March to promote this year's theme of #BreakTheBias, conveying the idea that there is a lack of acknowledgment in society’s inequality. Specifically, Pakistani women aim for more reproductive rights, economic and environmental justice, and better access to public spaces. One of the march leaders, Sheema Kermani, mentions that they “are scared, but [they] know that without putting [themselves] in such a dangerous situation [they] cannot bring change” (NYT). They plan to use various forms of art to express their discontent with the current patriarchal mindset, thus promoting a pace for “women, transgenders and nonbinary folks” (NBC).
Considering the more conservative values Pakistan is known for, I’m, unfortunately, not too surprised about the current opposition Pakistan women face. Relating it to backlash related to cases like Roe v. Wade, the divisive stances on abortion is exemplified through protests such as the Aurat March. Thus, events taking place during Women’s History Month may continue to heighten these tensions. Critics of the legal reasoning behind reproductive rights argue that abortion is morally wrong to take away a “life” and that it oversteps a boundary of judicial activism. As a result, Noor-ul-Haq Qadri may use a similar line of reasoning to strengthen Pakistan’s Islamic values, in order to declare March 8th Hijab Day. As of right now, I predict that the declaration will not take place, although it is highly possible. Even if it were to take place, then feminists will of course cause an uproar and spur enough attention for some reconsideration. More likely, it would occur later on when tensions escalate and there’s an evident need to gain more conservative followers or to maintain order.
What do you predict will happen if March 8th is Declared Hijab Day?
How would you react to the various comments Pakistani feminists face?
What course of action do you think the government and/or feminists should pursue from here on out?
https://www.dw.com/en/womens-day-pakistani-women-demand-bodily-rights-gender-equality/a-52685628
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/06/world/asia/pakistan-aurat-march-women.html
https://dailytimes.com.pk/885193/qadri-proposes-to-mark-intl-hijab-day-on-march-8/
https://www.geo.tv/latest/403429-pakistans-aurat-march-2022-to-be-or-not-to-be
1 comment:
It is heartbreaking to see the amount of oppression that the Pakistani women are facing from their own country’s government. I think that a “Hijab day” as a general idea would not be a negative thing and does not conflict with the values of a feminist movement. Wearing a hijab is a personal choice and an exercise of one’s bodily autonomy– the very values that the Aurat March is standing for. There’s no reason that someone wearing a hijab should be anti-gender equality. However, in the context of this decision, it is clearly being used as a weapon against the feminist movement. I hope that it is not declared, as this would be a blow to an already struggling movement.
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