Essay Writing

Submitted to: Sir Umar Khan

Ifrah Jawad Chaudhry
Roll # 45
Class E1
Feminism in Pakistan

Feminism in Pakistan
Feminism is a contemporary movement arose in 1970s which I based on the idea that men are
more privileged than women and the society is moving forward with patriarchal terms. It is
however a unique ideology which struggles to diminish the biasness towards men. It has helped
women from all the walks of life to stand up for themselves and speak up against the social and
political pressures created by this male dominant society. In Pakistan the term feminism has been
introduced recently. Many people are hesitant towards it because of the cultural and traditional
norms due to which feminists are facing many problems.
Every woman who stands up for what she believes in is considered a feminist. The most
common misconception about it, is, women from the upper class of society, protesting on roads
are considered feminists but what people don’t know is that a woman living in a village making
food for her children can also be a feminist unless she has chosen that life for herself. And an
educated woman who still thinks that getting beaten up by a man is okay because they are
superior than us is not a feminist. Thus feminism does not depend upon class difference it is
merely an ideology.
One of the main concerns today is sexual harassment. Feminists from around the globe have
joined hands in this regard. An online movement with a hashtag named #MeToo and #TimesUp
had been going on since the last few years. The main task of the movement is to eradicate any
kind of physical and mental abuse online or in person. Women from different parts of the world
came up with their stories to share them on social media. The purpose was not to get attention
but to make people aware of the current mistreatment going on with women. As the idea of
teasing women publically is normal, the idea of speaking up against it should also be. After this
movement many accused were held guilty and suitable punishments were made but we still have
a long way to go.
In Pakistan, feminism is still considered as unnecessary and a construct of west which is against
the Islamic principles. There has always been a backlash faced by women who wish to empower
themselves, be it by studying, working or choosing a spouse for themselves. Their social,
economic and political environment makes it difficult for them when they fight for their rights.
NGOs and other institutions that work to help oppressed women are accused of misleading
and ‘brainwashing’ them. Most of these women internalize their suffering, due to fear or a
lack of resources to turn to and the relatively educated upper class simply turns a blind eye,
hoping to maintain their status.
There are two dominant threads of feminist discourse in Pakistan: a modern, Islamic feminism
and a secular feminism. Modern Islamic feminists such as Riffat Hassan, Amina Wadud and
Asma Barlas seek to further women’s rights by redefining Islamic views and focusing on the
female-centric laws Islam offers. This form of feminism appeals largely to the lower, middle
and upper-middle class of society which looks to religion for answers. Secular feminists like
Shahnaz Rouse and Fouzia Saeed consider feminism as an extension of basic human rights,
regardless of any religious connotations. These women are labelled as protagonists of western
culture by those who misunderstand Islam to suit feed their own, chauvinistic principles.
Unfortunately, what most people fail to realize is that feminism in Pakistan is not entirely a
novel concept, nor is it anti-Islamic. In fact, Islam was the first religion to grant women a
status they had not enjoyed before and taught moral, spiritual and economic equality.   There
are countless quotes from prominent Islamic scholars, hadith and the Quran itself, indicating
women’s rights regarding the difference of life, including education, marriage and divorce. In
politics, the undertones of feminist ideals have existed throughout, coming forward only
recently thanks to advancements in media and education. Fatima Jinnah, for instance, bravely
led thousands of women to stand up for their well-being even before Pakistan was created.
Soon after, Begum Rana Liaquat Ali Khan founded the All Pakistan Women’s Association
(APWA) in 1949, aiming to further the moral, social and economic standing of women across
the country. Similarly, the Women’s Action Forum (WMA) was established in September
1981, advocating on behalf of women without the resources to do it themselves.
However, much like everything else, equal rights for women are impossible without rigorous
political support and when that is not met, feminists need to take matters into their own hands.
“While the space for women in nationalist politics was always small, the space for feminist
politics in Pakistan is almost non-existent,” explains writer Madihah Akhtar in her article
on Feminists in Pakistan. “Feminists, of both the secular and Islamic flavors, have to be
content with voicing their opinions through non-governmental organizations and in academia,
both in Pakistan and abroad.”
Perhaps secular feminism is the answer to rectifying Pakistan’s image before the world.
Women’s rights may be misunderstood, under-represented and disregarded in Pakistan but
they are by no means absent. Our people need to know that feminism does not mean being
anti-male or anti-Islamic. Those rallying for women rights need to be comprehensible and
more united in their stand and find a workable balance between what is right and what we
know. The message of feminism does not signify that women should in any way be superior,
nor does it call for immoral and anti-religious practices. It simply strives to make the lives of
women across the world a lot easier than they used to be.

I think there is a sort of strange acceptance as women that not feeling safe in our
society is just a fact of life and is something that we have to accept. That’s the way of
world. It’s dangerous to be a woman. But I don’t think we do have to accept that. I do
think there are other ways that we could live and be. And beyond that, I think we
deserve it we have to demand it, we have to believe that it’s possible. We have to
believe in that world. It can’t be a utopia.

Emma Watson