As you may have seen, this past Sunday (March 8th) was International Women’s Day. A day where we celebrate all the powerful and brave women that are apart of our lives. This year I was especially proud of the way the women from my motherland, Pakistan, chose to celebrate. The Aurat March, Aurat meaning “women” in Urdu, was a series of protests organized by women throughout the country all the way from Karachi to Lahore, to fight for equal rights between men and women when it comes to work, education, and everyday life. Pakistan has a very high rate of sexual assaults and being raped even by their own husbands.
This year the small village where my cousins are from, and where my mom grew up, Sukkur, was also apart of this movement. It was truly amazing to see even the most traditional and least westernized places slowly start to realize the changes that must be made, and to see so many people I know come together to fight for this. I am proud of Pakistan for moving a step closer and especially for the men that understand what we are fighting for and that truly believe women should have equal rights.
Unfortunately, there are still some people who disagree with what we are fighting for, some of the peaceful marches were interrupted by men throwing stones and tearing down tents. Thankfully, there was no one seriously hurt. But I am so proud of all the brave women for going out there and risking their safety and lives to fight for rights for all women. Raising awareness with peaceful protests and marches is the step in the right direction.