Pakistan will witness another 'Aurat March' on International Women's Day. Organised under the banner of 'Hum Auratain' (We Women), it is an umbrella term for feminists, transgender individuals, nonbinary persons and sexual minorities who are against the patriarchal structure of the society. The march started after two feminist groups from Karachi decided to hold a march on International Women's Day. The marches will be held in major cities of Pakistan, including Lahore, Islamabad, Karachi, Peshawar, and Quetta.  Meanwhile, Twitterati began sharing pictures of Pakistani women holding placards with slogans written on it with the hashtags #AuratMarch,  #AuratMarch2020 and #AuratMarchLahore. International Women's Day 2020: How Shaheen Bagh Emerged as Epitome of Fourth Wave Feminism and Compelled Women to Lead Protests in India

The Aurat March demands respect, accountability and justice in cases of violence against women at the workplace, home and in public places. However, the women demanding their rights have received a bad name in the country. They are being accused of trying to damage the culture of Pakistan by bringing in western methods. News channels, talk shows, TV debates are also wired around the 'Aurat March' with most of them slamming the move.

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People Are Addressing This Placard as 'Shameless':

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After a petition was filed against the march, six women 'activists' approached the Lahore High Court on Monday with a request to 'regulate' forthcoming Aurat March to ensure implementation of Citizen Protection (Against Online Harm) Rules, 2020. At a press conference held at the Karachi Press Club on Tuesday, a diverse group of women, transgender and non-binary persons under the umbrella of 'Hum Aurtein' spoke about their collective need and the need for social change in the way women are treated.

Retired Justice Majida Rizvi was quoted as saying, "We march not just to highlight the struggles of women. Aurat March seeks to unite women, transgender and non-binary persons for the cause of gender justice and collective social change based on principles of inclusion, dignity and respect." Azhar Siddiqui, Chairman of Pakistan’s Judicial Activism Council said, "Women are the beauty of our society. Then they talk about slogans like 'Mera jism, meri marzi' (my body, my choice). The perception in the world is that we oppress our women." In the Women Peace and Security Index 2019/2020, Pakistan ranks 164 out of 167 countries. The country also ranks sixth on the list of most dangerous countries for women.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 05, 2020 10:51 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).