The Aurat March 2018 has been a massive unifying force for the people of Pakistan, especially women throughout the nation. Thousands of peaceful and passionate protesters could be seen holding up revolutionary signs and chanting together for economic, reproductive and environmental justice.
The turnout was incredible;
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The signs as creative and as passionate as the men and women holding them;
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And the marchers were as diverse as the people of our nation!
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In exclusive interviews to Mangobaaz, here is what some of the Aurat March-ers had to say;
According to Journalist, Umaima Ahmed, “Aurat March was a breath of fresh air for me. It was wonderful to see women come out to not only remind people, men in particular, of their rights but also to recognize that they are humans who deserve equal opportunities in every sphere of life.”
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“It is very important for women, especially young women, to carry on the tradition of political mobilization laid down by Pakistani feminists who came before us. Seeing young women show up in droves, reclaiming public spaces and enjoying themselves was a sight for sore eyes. Secondly, hopefully the march brought different women in contact with one another—across class, sexual orientation and age. This interaction is important because issues of working class women, trans women, domestic workers, and many others on the margins are often sidelined. It felt quite emotional to walk along with my sisters and know there were so many people willing to come out, be themselves, laugh, dance and support one another”, said Feminist Activist Shmyla Khan.
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Professor, Dr. Salma said, “It is absolutely amazing to see women come out in such huge numbers to support each other. This is the making of history right here. Look around, you can see a clear representation of the society here; men, women, kids of all ages and backgrounds. There is no one telling anyone that they cannot be here, rather everyone is together in this cause. This is one of the biggest days that women in this country have witnessed. Those who are not here have definitely missed out on witnessing the strength of the women in this country.”
Students are the ultimate driving force of any movement and according to one, Bisma Shah, “I have never witnessed anything like this before. In our own daily lives, we are so engrossed in fighting the fights that we at times forget that there are so many women out there, who are going through the same struggle. Each of one us at some level is trying to break away. This March proved that we can all also be together in this fight and provide each other the backbone that we need. Every day it becomes difficult to find people to rely on, people who understand the struggle. Marches like these give me hope that we will eventually get there.”
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