Daily Times

Another international day for women has been celebrated with pomp and show in huge gatherings with commitments from the speakers to ensure human rights for women. This year, we had the usual two ingredients. This included speakers who would talk about equality and opportunities for women. All of a sudden the famous verse from Allama Iqbal’s poetry would be recited; Wajood e zan say hay Tasweer ekainat main rang (a woman is the reason for the colours in the universe) restricting her to her beauty once again, which is quite contrasting to what these speakers talk about.

Aren’t we getting distracted when it comes to feminism? Cultures evolve in societies with their negative and positive aspects

An additional segment this year was the Freedom March. In many cities, quite a few different demands in the name of equality and equal rights were made at these marches. They received a mixed sort of reaction with some condemning it and calling it a threat to the social fabric and some appreciating that yes this what needs to be done in an event. Interestingly the participants all seemed from well off families and a woman from an average or below average family was hardly seen. What about the victims of the war on terror, do they really have the freedom that these marches are talking about? What about the labours in factories and home-based workers, how many of them are aware that there is a day to celebrate a freedom march is on? How many of them are aware of their rights? On the same day, a very saddening trend on twitter with reference to the first female Muslim prime minister and it was trending on the same day when the day was being celebrated to ensure the right of dignity security to all women .Imagine a learned woman isn’t secure even after she has passed away. The history of feminism goes back to Plato when he insisted on the equal contribution of women followed by various movements. It was actually in nineteenth-century when the first wave of feminism is cited in the early 19th century with Elizabeth Cady Suntan and thirteen hundred men and women in 1848. The demand was for female education rights and the abolition of double gender standards etc. The second wave of feminism took off in 1960 with the voice of African American Sojourner Truth with” Aint I a woman? challenging the cult of domesticity and demand and discussion about women’s right to vote ,political participation The third wave began in 90 s with many notions destabilized including sexuality, body and gender Forth wave is on with the emphasis on what has been demanded in the previous waves like sexual abuse, domestic violence ,unfair working conditions and pays but in the meantime it seems more of misandrist, creating a hate wave against men .It at times seems deviated from the idea of fundamental human rights and more of just women rights in isolation. In Pakistan aren’t we in a state of confusion with multiple definitions of freedom and taking this freedom more towards individualism? It seems that we are in a state of confusion as far as feminism and equality are concerned? Rather what to support what to demand. Apparently there are multiple prominent factions of society with their own definition and understanding of feminism and equality . One is that would restrict the woman as per her gender role given to them by the religious clerics and culture that she would be at home cooking washing bearing children and protected by the males as society isn’t good ( a comment by a student ) second ones are the ones with a belief that she can be given liberty to do work but the gender role assigned to her shouldn’t suffer. Third one is the enlightened ones who understand what basic human rights are and how a gender-balanced society can be a progressive society. Then we have the one sitting in drawing rooms and posh hotels, in marches to claim women’s rights, promoting everything in the name of feminism in a manner that the demands seem to be in isolation and tending to create a woman planet. The difference between gender roles assigned by culture needs to be understood and the essence of human rights need to be. We know the challenges in the full implementation of constitutional equality, We are well aware that workplace harassment, harassment on roads and cyber bullying are yet to be coped with. But arent we getting distracted when it comes to feminism? Cultures evolve in societies with their negative and positive aspects. It is encouraging to talk about the constitutional rights, equal participation in social political and economic sphere but that needs to be done without challenging creativity of the culture which strengthens the societies and adds value to relationships. Let’s talk in a manner that a repulsion and hate wave shouldn’t be created for the genuine basic rights . We agree that certain cultural norms and values are a barrier at times but in the meantime let’s not challenge the relationships based on understanding trust and empathy. Let’s define what we actually mean by feminism instead of getting carried away by some confused notions.

The dependency of each gender needs to be understood rather than just claiming men s rights or women s rights It is time to change the mind mindset towards traditional gender roles and refine slowly and gradually with creating a repulsion or hatred towards the cause of equal rights.

The writer has experience in the field of education and is currently working as a resource person in the development sector

Published in Daily Times, March 21^st 2019.