National Women's Day (Pakistan)
National Women's Day in Pakistan is 12 February of each year, chosen to mark the
Annual commemorations
Pakistan's National Women's Day is held annually on 12 February to mark the first women's march in the country held on that date in 1983. December 22 is also celebrated as a National Day for Pakistani Working Women. These two days, in addition to
2012
Among those honoured in 2012 were Shahnaz Wazir Ali (PPP's adviser to the PM), Nilofar Bakhtiar (PML-Q Senator), Bushra Gohar (ANP MNA), and Kishwer Zehra (MQM MNA), for proactively working on women's rights related bills.[2] 2013 National Women's Day was commemorated at Fatima Jinnah Park with awareness stalls about gender-based violence, where activist presented skits and speeches.[3] The 2013 event was observed by women from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA who distributed awards to women journalists, politicians, and activists in the women's rights movement in Pakistan.[12]
2015
An event at the Nomad Gallery in Islamabad included poetry by Harris Khalique and Aliya Mirza.[13]
A song 'Kaun Kehta Hai Beikhtiyar Hoon Main' by Aaliya Mirza and sung by
2017
National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) held a 2017 National Women's Day event at Fatimah Jinnah Women University (FJWU) at Rawalpindi. A dialogue on the topic of 'Taking the women's agenda forward between women activists and parliamentarians' was addressed by The Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Samina Amin Qadir and Tehmina Daultana a Member of National Assembly.[15]
2019
According to
2020
The theme for the 2020 event in Karachi was "Women's social protection in the context of gender-based violence". Panelists talked about various socio-legal issues like gender-based violence, the role of the Sindh Commission on the Status of Women, the Women Development Department of Government of Sindh and NGOs in improving the status of women in the society.[11] According to Xari Jalil, Women Action Forum Lahore members commemorated 2020 National Women's day event at Applied Socio-economic Research (ASR) Resource Centre with a session of speeches and poetry. At Lahore National Women's day was also commemorated at Lahore College for Women University; Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Bushra Mirza, Retired Justice Nasira Javed Iqbal, Women Development Minister Ashifa Riaz Fatyana addressed the event.[17]
According to Farman Ali, an exhibition of painting titled 'Laazim Hai Ke Hum Bhi Dekhengey' was held at Nomad Gallery Islamabad to commemorating the National Women's Day where in most of presented paintings highlighted the violence and pain endured by women in Pakistan's patriarchal culture.[18]
2022
2022 National Women's Day, a Karachi event themed 'Zero Tolerance for Violence' was organised by the Sindh Commission on the Status of Women was held at Frere Hall.[19] The 2022 Lahore event happened at the Aurat Foundation (AF) office itself.[20]
1983 Women's March, Lahore
On 12 February 1983, a women's march of about 100 people
Bibliography
- Khan, Ayesha. The Women's Movement in Pakistan: Activism, Islam and Democracy. United Kingdom, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2018.
- Weiss, Anita M.. Interpreting Islam, Modernity, and Women's Rights in Pakistan. United Kingdom, Palgrave Macmillan, 2014. Page 49.
- Omvedt, Gail (2005). "Women in Governance in South Asia". JSTOR 4417361.
- Imran, R. (2005) 'Legal injustices: The Zina Hudood Ordinance of Pakistan and its implications for women', Journal of International Women's Studies, 7(2), pp. 78–100
- Jalal, A. (1991). The Convenience of Subservience: Women and the State of Pakistan. In: Kandiyoti, D. (eds) Women, Islam and the State. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-21178-4_4
- Korson, J. Henry; Maskiell, Michelle (1985). "Islamization and Social Policy in Pakistan: The Constitutional Crisis and the Status of Women". JSTOR 2644377.
- Women's Movements in Asia: Feminisms and Transnational Activism. United Kingdom, Taylor & Francis, 2010. Page 167
- Re-Interrogating Civil Society in South Asia: Critical Perspectives from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. India, Taylor & Francis, 2021. Page 191 / 192
References
- ^ a b Jadoon, Alveena (12 February 2019). "It Is National Women's Day And Here's Why We Celebrate It". Maati TV. Archived from the original on 20 June 2022. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
- ^ a b c d Ali, Sehrish (10 February 2012). "National Women's Day: 'We will raise our voices against discrimination'". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
The march was the first public demonstration by any group against a martial law.
- ^ a b c d "National Women's Day: Struggle for equal rights will go on". The Express Tribune. 12 February 2013. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
- ^ a b c "Women's achievements highlighted at event to mark National Women's Day". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
- ^ a b c d Reporter, The Newspaper's Staff (13 February 2019). "Women remember iconic 1983 demo, vow to fight oppression". Dawn. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
The primary reason for this demonstration was the proposed law of evidence, which would effectively have reduced the testimony of women to half of that of men
- ^ Hassan, Taimur-ul (July–December 2010). "The Performance of Press During Women Movement in Pakistan". South Asian Studies (A Research Journal of South Asian Studies). 25 (2): 311–321 – via eds.p.ebscohost.com.
- ^ "WAF calls for remembering Pakistan Women's Day". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
- S2CID 249170121.
- ^ APP (22 December 2010). "Gilani declares Dec 22 as national day of working women". Dawn. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
- ^ "Women's achievements highlighted at event to mark National Women's Day". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
- ^ a b Hussain, Nida Mujahid. "National Women's Day 2020: Karachi event discusses measures to end gender-based violence". Geo News. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
- ISBN 978-1-78673-523-2.
- ^ a b Web Desk (12 February 2015). "National women's day celebrated by DAI-AAWAZ – Pakistan News Releases". Archived from the original on 20 June 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ^ Anwer, Zoya (12 February 2015). "Gao Suno Badlo releases first song on National Women's Day". Dawn. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
- ^ Reporter, A. (16 February 2017). "Dialogue held to mark National Women's Day". Dawn. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ^ "National Women's Day observed in Islamabad". Dawn. 13 February 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ^ Jalil, Xari (13 February 2020). "Women recount 1983 protest against discriminatory laws". Dawn. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ^ Ali, Farman (17 February 2020). "Commemorative art show highlights women woes, struggle". Dawn. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ^ "Women's achievements highlighted at event to mark National Women's Day". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
- ^ "National Women's Day observed". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 11 May 2022.