A talented Pakistani author and artist, Maliha Abbas Abidi has drafted rich stories of 50 Pakistani women who have achieved some extraordinary things while making a difference. The book is called “Pakistan For Women: Stories Of Women Who Have Achieved Extraordinary Things.” It celebrates women with empowering stories who have overcome stigma and unimaginable obstacles. This book is written to inspire young girls and assist them in understanding the significance of women empowerment and feminism.
In a country like Pakistan, girls still face barriers to education for various reasons that range from cultural misconceptions to reform seeking institutions. They struggle to follow their dreams and are discouraged to voice their opinions. Malala Yousafzai, for her activism, was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman in 2012, but survived and continues to speak out on the importance of education.
Asma Jehangir was undoubtedly another inspirational personality, who fearlessly challenged the deeply rooted norms in Pakistan. She was a Pakistani human rights lawyer and social activist who co-founded and chaired the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.
Jehangir once said, “As a lawyer, many a time I took up difficult and sensitive cases dealing with minorities’ and women’s rights. Yes, I constantly receive threats, and to be very honest, at times it is very scary. But I have to continue my work.”
This book encompasses stories of more than 50 women who have worked hard to attain success in this world. It describes astrophysicists, educators, mountaineers, activists, musicians and so many more.’Pakistan for women’ encourages girls to take inspiration from all these exceptional women and go after what they are passionate about.
It is about time that we realize the importance of such books in Pakistan. Books that highlight strong role models, who have struggled to become who they are today. In the book trailer, the author discusses her motivation for writing a book like this in Pakistan. Maliha says,” My ultimate motivation behind writing and illustrating this book is to showcase the extraordinary stories of women who achieved new heights through hard work and dedication.”
Some of the iconic figures you’ll come across in this book are Asma Jahangir: The Feminist, Malala Yousafzai : The youngest recipient of the Nobel peace prize, Samina Baig: The First Pakistani Woman To Climb Mount Everest, Veeru Kohli: Bonded Labour Activist, Noor Jehan: The Queen of Melody.
The book is all set to be published in March 2019 and we can’t wait to read it!
