Aurat March organisers want health, education budgets raised

Published March 7, 2023
Women rights activist Farzana Bari addresses a press conference at the National Press Club on Monday. Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir is also seen. — White Star
Women rights activist Farzana Bari addresses a press conference at the National Press Club on Monday. Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir is also seen. — White Star

ISLAMABAD: The organisers of Aurat March on Monday presented a list of 60 demands, including an end to patriarchal violence, increased representation of women at all levels of decision-making concerning climate change, a reduction in the defence budget and increased allocations for health and education.

These demands were presented by women’s rights activists, including Farzana Bari and Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir, before the media at a pre-march press conference at the National Press Club (NPC).

The demands also include raising minimum wage allocations, and moving away from anti-poor policies of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and debt traps.

The organisers said the decision to focus on the “feminisation of climate justice” was taken in the aftermath of the floods that ravaged the country last year, resulting in over 1,100 deaths and destruction and damage to one million homes.

While, overall relief and rehabilitation efforts were required and are still needed today, they said, adding that specific impact on women and young girls had been largely neglected in the mainstream discourse.

In light of this neglect, they said that key demands had been advanced for 2023 by Aurat March Islamabad, including bringing an end to period poverty, ensuring economic justice and budgetary allocations for universal childcare in all formal work spaces in Pakistan and formalisation of informal sector/market (where a majority of women are employed).

The march organisers said that despite an application for grant of no-objection certificate (NOC) submitted to the district administration well in advance, the same was turned down without any cogent reason just mere days before the march.

The district administration and Islamabad police were reminded of their obligation to safeguard the lives of peaceful marchers who had been observing the same route since at least 2018.

The organisers announced that the march would begin from outside the National Press Club at 2pm and conclude at D-Chowk as per routine on March 8.

Published in Dawn, March 7th, 2023

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.