PAKISTAN: National Women's Day

Women in rural areas are particularly vulnerable to oppression by family and society because of lack of education and awareness in the rural areas hence timely measures must be taken to improve the status of women by providing equal educational opportunities. Speakers at a seminar ‘Tribute to Women's Leadership at grassroots level: Actions and Achievements” were of the view here Friday.

Last year the Government of Pakistan has officially declared February 12 as Women's Day of Pakistan. The importance of February 12, 1983 is with reference to the struggle put up by women's rights activists in Pakistan. The day marks an important milestone in the history of women's movement in Pakistan, when women protested and successfully challenged the promulgation of the Law of Evidence by the military dictator Ziaul Haq.

To mark Pakistani Women's Day, Aurat Foundation in collaboration with OXFAM-GB organized the seminar to voice the concerns of the rural women especially.

Mukhtaran Mai- Pakistani women known worldwide for her struggle against feudals and influentials who gang-raped and maltreated her- was chief guest on the occasion.

Mai on the occasion said there was a “Need to increase the level of awareness in rural areas as the women in these areas are found least concerned about their rights and this is the reason they become victims of violence.”

Naeem Mirza of Aurat Foundation said, “National Women's Day was observed every year to mark the police brutality against women in Lahore on February 12, 1983.” On this day, Punjab Women Lawyers Association protested against Ziaul Haq's law of evidence that reduced the testimony of women in court to half that of men. Several women from Sialkot, Bhakkar, Jacobabad, Attock, and Hyderabad participated in the seminar and shared their touching stories with the audiences.

“Every year, women's day brings a reminder of the women's movement's but today we are especially focusing on our women of rural areas,” he said. Naeem Mirza called Mukhtaran Mai “an icon of struggle and courage for women in Pakistan and abroad” and said nowadays many exploited women look up to her to attain courage.

Halima Bhutto, a karo-kari victim from Ghotki, Sindh, was also present at the occasion that narrated her heart-wrenching story with participants. Mirza while sharing the story of Halima with the participants said, “Halima's husband fabricated charges of Karo Kari on her in a bid to take over her land property. Halima after failing to get justice in Sindh came to Islamabad for saving her life and seeking justice along with two-year son, mother and a brother.”