I.

Women's Role in Independence Struggle

"The days had gone when women were fit only for cooking food & minding children, and the

time had come for them to take an equal share of responsibility with their menfolk in politics."

-- Lady Maratab Ali

• The nationalistic struggle mobilized a large num of educated, upper-class women

• Muslim Girls Student Federation (1941) launched by:

• Lady Abdul Qadir

• Fatima Begum

• Miss M. Qureshi

• Fatima Jinnah became a symbol of an empowered woman

Post-Independence Legal Reforms

Muslim Personal Law (1948) - Woman's right to inherit all forms of property

•Rights to vote - Granted/ recognized (1956)

• All-Pakistan Women's Association (APWA) 1949 - To further moral, social, and economic

standing of women across the country by Begum Liagat Ali Khan

III. Political Activism under Military Rule

Protests against Gen. Zia-ul-Haq's Islamization drive - Hudood Ordinance (1979) - failure to

distinguish b/w adultery (zina) & rape (zina-bil-Jabr)

• Women's Action Forum (WAF) 1981 - Formed to respond to strengthen the position of women

• Led public protests against Qanoon-e-Shahadat (QSO) - objected to unequal weightage to

testimony by men & women in financial cases

• Devised the famous 'Men, Money, Mullah, Military' slogan

IV. Post-Islamization Activism

Feminist activism gained the most traction under the two terms of

PM Benazir Bhútto (1988-90 | 1993-96) - NGOs, Focus Groups were given considerable powers

The momentum decreased during PM MNS rule in 1997 & women were losing ground to

political conservatism & religious revivalism

Reclaimed some lost ground under the strategy of Enlightened Moderation by Gen. Pervaiz

Musharraf

-- Afiya Sherbano, History of Pakistani Feminism

V. Achievements

Gender Quota- 17% National/ Provincial | 33% Local Z. Women's Parliamentary Caucus (2008)

- cross party

3. Legislative Achievements:

• Criminal Law Amendment Act (2004)

• The Protection of Women Act (2006)

• Protection Against Harassment of Women at the

Workplace Act (2010)

• The Acid Control and Acid Crime Prevention Act, 2011

• Election Act (2017)

• Less than 10% women turnout - nullified

• 5% non-reserved seats by pol parties mandatory

VI. Modern Feminist Discourse in Pak

Islamic Feminism
Further women's rights by focusing on female-centric laws of Islam & liberal interpretation of

scripture

Appeals largely to the lower, middle & part of upper strata of society which looks to religion for

answers

Prominent Islamic Feminists:

Riffat Hassan

Amina Wadud

Asma Barlas

Secular Feminism

● Feminism as an extension of basic HR, regardless of any religious connotations

● Appeals primarily to secular-minded and progressive segments of society - labeled as

Western propaganda to suit chauvinistic principles

Prominent Secular Feminists:

Shahnaz Rouse

Fouzia Saeed

Rafia Zakaria
VII. Relation to Waves of Feminism ½

• The social, political, and historical context of each phase of feminism in Pakistan has been

different and the feminist issues of each era arose from particular moments in national history.

1. Partition- Welfare issues, the focus of women activists + rehabilitation of refugees -> it had

social respectability within the traditional cultural milieu

2. Pre-partition legacies- social issues - such as polygamy, purdah, child marriage, inheritance,

divorce, and the right to education - demands for such socio-legal reforms were acceptable

within the bounds of religion.

VII. Relation to Waves of Feminism 2/2

• The ideas and impact of all three waves of feminism operating simultaneously in Pakistan

• 1st Wave - Legal protections

• 2nd Wave -- "Personal is Political" - Participation in workforce

• Divorce - Marital Rape - Domestic Violence - Mobility

• 3rd Wave - Liberal values

• Bodily autonomy

• Personal freedom

• Sexual Freedom,

• Objectification of women

• Call out culture -- casual sexism/ misogyny

#MaeToo movement (Ali Zafar, Junaid Akram)

VIII. Manifestation of Modern Feminism

Aurat March 2019 was a monumental feminist event for its scale, magnitude, diversity and

inclusivity.

• Women belonging to different social classes, regions, religions,

ethnicities and sects came together on a common platform to protest the multiple patriarchies

that control, limit and constrain their self-expression and basic rights.

• From home-based workers to teachers, from transgender to queer - all protested in their

unique and innovative ways.

Men and boys in tow, carrying supportive placards, the marchers reflected unity within diversity,

seldom seen in Pakistan's polarized and divisive social landscape.