KARACHI: Women in Karachi are planning to organise a march to mark International Women’s Day, which falls on March 8. According to the organizers, the Aurat March will focus on women’s access to economic justice, reproductive justice and environmental justice and prevent violence against them. They urged women of all classes to join them. Men are also invited, but they will have to come with women. Earlier, the organisers of the march had distributed flyers and brochures among participants of the recently held Karachi Literature Festival. Recently they (organisers) visited The Lyari Girls Café to convey their message. Also they have planned to visit cinema halls and shopping malls as well. Talking to Daily Times, some of the organisers said: “The Women’s March seeks to unite women for the cause of gender justice and collective social change based on principles of inclusion, dignity, and respect and it will be leaderless walk where every woman would be leader.” To a question she said, “We are focusing on two issues – the march will be a collective endeavour, not led by any single group or organisation and that the march will raise voices on a diverse range of issue. The march, being dubbed ‘Hum Aurtein’, will see women participating from diverse ethnicities, classes, and sections of society.” They added, “We are inspired and fuelled by the momentum of feminist movements and struggles worldwide, and those taking place in our country right now”. “We see this march as another moment in a series of responses from women who are tired of the injustices we are subjected to. Now is the time to speak and take to the streets — as loudly as we can, and in the greatest numbers we can rally.” The march is a symbolic gesture by the women of Karachi, they said, adding: “We refuse to stay silent now… we demand peace… We believe that women’s rights are central to our work towards a progressive and equitable society.” They said that every person and community has the right to clean water, clean air, access to resources and enjoyment of public lands. “Our climate and natural resources must be protected for ourselves and future generations.” International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8 every year. It commemorates the movement for women’s rights. While the first observance of a Women’s Day was held on February 28, 1909 in New York, March 8 was suggested by the 1910 International Woman’s Conference to become an “International Woman’s Day.”. The day was then predominantly celebrated by the socialist movement and communist countries until it was adopted in 1975 by the United Nations. Published in Daily Times, February 20th 2018.