Daily Times

Successful and independent women are not only those who know what they want but also those millions of dejected women who are struggling hard for countering life challenges.

Ayesha’s husband Ishtiaq Ali went missing six years. She is also among those who are fighting for her dreams of also for her four children.

Though her children have learned to survive on very little, but still life is not easy for them. Ayesha is not that educated. She knows that the entire responsibility of her family falls on her weak shoulders.

When a loved one goes missing, their friends and family anxiously wait for their return or to find out what happened to them. Most of the missing people are never found but they are never forgotten.

“He told me that he was going to Afghanistan for labour with his friend and will return soon but he has not returned yet,” Ayesha says with deep sadness.

After the disappearance of her husband, she joined a nearby school as a maid for making both ends meet. She informed that the school administration where she was working was paying her Rs 9,000 monthly and wasn’t charge fees for her three children who were studying there.

She leaves home early in the morning and returns at noon. On Sunday, she works as a helper at different homes. During the whole day, the only person who helps her is her mother-in-law who is quite old. Ayesha says her mother-in-law has been her biggest support.

I came across another strong woman who has three children and works at a school in Shahpur. Her husband has health issues so he cannot work, but Amina works day and night. She resides in a one-room quarter which is rented accommodation and is hardly able to manage her expenses.

Parents always want the best for their children, as childhood is the age of hopes and dreams. It’s the best period without care and worries.

After a daylong hectic routine which ends at night, she stitches clothes for her fellow teachers and neighbours.

Naseem is another lady who stitches clothes at a ladies garment shop in Barakahu.

We come across many women like the aforementioned ones who are striving to counter life challenges. Besides responsibilities at home, they are also trying to play the role in sharing burdens of their bread winners and improving life standards of their families.

Like every year, the International Women’s Day was observed on Friday with a lot of celebration and events bringing women in the forefront and creating awareness on the issues they face on a day-to-day basis.

This year, the theme was Think Equal, Build Smart, and Innovate for Change that focuses on the empowerment of women, particularly in the areas of social protection systems.

It’s true that women have to suffer more than men in all walks of life. So just celebrating one day is really not enough to acknowledge the role of these deserving women and to tell them that they truly matter. There’s a need to take practical steps on public and private level for helping them in real manner such as focusing on their education, giving them equal job opportunities and making workplace more protective.

Legislation does help a lot. Yet, we cannot achieve much without social change.

Published in Daily Times, March 9^th 2019.