Feminism in Pakistan

Feminism in Pakistan is a set of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women in Pakistan. It is the pursuit of women's rights within the society of Pakistan. Like their feminist counterparts all over the world, feminists in Pakistan seek gender equality: the right to work for equal wages, the right to equal access to health and education, and equal political rights. Feminist and women's rights consciousness in Pakistan has historically been shaped in response to national and global reconfiguration of power including colonialism, nationalism, dictatorship, democracy and the Global War on Terror.[1] The relationship between the women's movement and the Pakistani state has undergone significant shifts, from mutual accommodation and a complementary ethos to confrontation and conflict. The word Feminism is a taboo in Pakistan and has taken as a serious abuse.[2]

History

After independence, elite Muslim women in Pakistan continued to advocate women's political empowerment through legal reforms. They mobilized support that led to passage of the Muslim Personal Law of Sharia in 1948, which recognized a woman's right to inherit all forms of property. They were also behind the futile attempt to have the government include a Charter of Women's Rights in the 1956 constitution. The 1961 Muslim Family Laws Ordinance covering marriage and divorce, the most important sociolegal reform that they supported, is still widely regarded as empowering to women.

First Phase 1947–1952

In 1947, Muslim women did not have it easy, they were some of the worst victims of the traumatic events that took place in the South Asian region in the mid-20th century. It's reported that 75,000 women were abducted and raped during the partition, sooner after Pakistan's Independence Fatima Jinnah took part in refugee relief work and formed the Women s Relief Committee during the transfer of power, which evolved into the All Pakistan Women s Association. Later on Fatima Jinnah set up a secret radio station to running for president when it was perceived to be a man's role. These are some of the empowering stories that are often left untold and very few people talk about this effort of empowering women in Pakistan.

Begum Ra'na Liaquat Ali Khan helped the refugees who fled India during partition and also organized the All Pakistan Women s Association in 1949, two years after the creation of her country. Noticing that there were not many nurses in Karachi, Khan requested the army to train women to give injections and first aid. This resulted in the para-military forces for women. Nursing also became a career path for many girls. She continued her mission, even after her husband was assassinated in 1951, and became the first Muslim woman delegate to the United Nations in 1952.

Feminism through art and literature

No one highlight that one of the pioneers of women's liberation in Pakistan was actually a man from Lollywood (Pakistan's film industry). The first feminist film was called Aurat Raj (Women's Rule).[3] It was released in 1979. It was a huge droop at the box-office despite the fact that it was made and released in an era when the Pakistan film industry was dotted by thousands of cinemas and a huge cinema-going audience.

Psychological Impact

The psychological development is reflected in the portrayals of fiction women characters in Pakistan's Movies, Dramas, Novels and Poetry. The fiction writers of Pakistan have tried a lot to portray an ideal picture of women enjoying equal rights with men. While doing so, they indicate the psychological development of women which can be traced in the development of various women characters.[4] Psychological development of women character in Pakistani fiction creates a source for the empowerment of women in Pakistani society. Pakistani women writers have done this more vigorously as compared to the counterpart. However, these writers have not succeed to change the mindset of majority men and women (both).[5] In the cities, Majority still think that the women dominate the money rather she earns or not; she will spend all on shopping and it is the only and utter right of her and this is sole definition of feminism in Pakistan.[6][7]

Movies

Year Film Director / Producer Notes
1979 Aurat Raj Rangela
2012 Saving Face Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy Academy Award for Best Short Subject Documentary
2013 Humaira: The Dream Catcher Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy
2015 A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy Academy Award for Best Short Subject Documentary

Drama

Year Drama Channel Genre Notes
1994 Pas-e-Aaina NTM
2012 Zindagi Gulzar Hai Hum TV Romance Lux Style Awards , Hum Awards , Pakistan Media Awards
2016 Udaari Hum TV Girl Rape Lux Style Awards
2017 Sammi Hum TV Vani

Publications

Year Magazine Language Genre
Aanchal Novel
Paperazzi Magazine Lifestyle
2017 Muslim Business Women [8] English Business, Feminism
Women's Own English Lifestyle

Books

Year Book Author Language Genre Notes
1968 Lab-i goya Kishwar Naheed Urdu Novel Adamjee Prize of Literature
---- Pathar ki Zaban Fahmida Riaz Urdu Poetry
1985 Kunj Peeleh Poolon Ka Ishrat Afreen Urdu Poetry
1990 The Pakistani Bride Bapsi Sidhwa English Novel Sitara-i-Imtiaz
2001 The Holy Woman Qaisra Shahraz English Novel
2009 Broken women of the Mountains Nida Mahmoed English Poetry Freedom Plow Award for Poetry & Activism
2016 Navigating Pakistani Feminism: Fight by Fight Aisha Sarwari English Research

Feminist organisations of Pakistan

  • Alliance Against Sexual Harassment at Work place (AASHA) [9]
  • All Pakistan Women’s Association (APWA) [10]
  • Convention on Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)
  • Democratic Women's Association (DWA)
  • Gender and Development
  • National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW)
  • United Front for Women's Rights (UFWA)
  • Women's Political Participation Project
  • Women Action Forum
  • Tehrik-e-Niswan (The Women's Movement)
  • Sindhiani Tahreek (Sindhi women's movement)
  • Blue Veins
  • Aurat Foundation
  • Society for Appraisal and Women Empowerment in Rural Areas (SAWERA) [11]
  • Acid Survivors Trust International
  • Pakistan Federation of Business and Professional Women
  • Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA)
  • Pakistan Women Lawyers' Association [12]
  • Women's Action Forum (WAF) [13]

Pakistani feminists

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Feminism in Pakistan: A brief history - The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 2014-09-23. Retrieved 2017-08-20.
  2. ↑ "78 reasons to be a feminist in Pakistan". The Nation. Retrieved 2017-08-21.
  3. ↑ Aurat Raj (1979), retrieved 2017-08-20
  4. ↑ Ahmed, Zia (2009-09-01). "Pakistani Feminist Fiction and the Empowerment of Women". Pakistaniaat: A Journal of Pakistan Studies. 1 (2): 90–102. ISSN 1946-5343.
  5. ↑ "Here's Everything That's Wrong With Feminism In Pakistan". MangoBaaz. 2016-10-25. Retrieved 2017-08-21.
  6. ↑ "What is the history of feminism in Pakistan? - Quora". www.quora.com. Retrieved 2017-08-21.
  7. ↑ Rashid, Ammar (2016-08-08). "Feminism is breaking through the rigid patriarchy in Pakistan". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2017-08-21.
  8. ↑ Peracha, Sarah (2017-06-12). "A talk with Zainab Salbi". Muslim Business Women. Retrieved 2017-08-20.
  9. ↑ "A tale of twisted harassment - The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 2017-08-11. Retrieved 2017-08-20.
  10. ↑ Staff, Images (2017-08-09). "How Begum Ra'ana Liaquat Ali Khan helped empower Pakistani women". Images. Retrieved 2017-08-20.
  11. ↑ Leiby, Michele Langevine (2012-07-15). "Women's rights become a fight to the death in Pakistan". The Age. Retrieved 2017-08-22.
  12. ↑ "One UN - Pakistan Annual Report 2016". ReliefWeb. 2017-07-28. Retrieved 2017-08-21.
  13. ↑ Inam, Moniza (2016-02-14). "Women empowerment: The spring of hope". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2017-08-21.
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