KARACHI: The research, resource and publication centre on women and media, Uks, which also works as a media monitoring, analysis and advocacy group, launched its 24th annual diary here on Saturday.

The Uks diary — Women in Pakistan: Courage of Convictions, Unlimited — has been a part of the research centre from the start. As explained by Director Uks, the diary every year is based on a new theme. Topics covered so far include politics, education, environment and sports.

“During our research work and media monitoring we come across so many stories that don’t usually reach the common persons. Our women were very active after independence. There was Begum Ra’ana Liaquat Ali Khan whose activism started in the 1950s. There were women in so many places. There was a woman taxi driver in the 1960s. Then there was the women’s movement that started in the Ziaul Haq era. There was the Women’s Action Forum [WAF], which pushed for women’s rights,” she said.

About the Uks Diary 2022 and its theme, she said that it also has Qandeel Baloch. “She also deserves to be on its cover. She also has a story. Likewise, we have Malala Yousafzai, whose every move is critically watched here. Coming to the criticising, there is also the Aurat March and its slogans some of which some people found so shocking. For instance, the slogan Mera jism meri marz’ is really about the women here going through multiple pregnancies while having no control over her body. There is more depth to this slogan than people want to understand,” she pointed out.

“These stories tell you that the Pakistani woman is not helpless. Unfortunately, here people, especially women, are conditioned to think that women have to take everything lying down. But Pakistani women are not like that. They are strong, be they homemakers or whatever,” she said.

Academician Sarah Zaman said that the women here have an innate characteristic to resist wrongs. “It comes from within us. For me my resistance was personal. It grew and has taken in so much. My investment is not just physical or mental but emotional also. My resistance comes from my being angry. And my anger grew more as I saw more. People say that we are pessimistic, that we only see the negatives in things. But while being angry I also hope for things to improve,” she said.

“I have seen women navigating through the messiest of situations. They are very conscious of being pushed aside or crushed. Political parties, civil society talks about it. I even hear mosques talking about women and how they should be treated in their Friday khutba,” she said, adding that the Aurat March this year will be in its fifth year.

“Through the Aurat March we want to build a consensus. Our visions match the visions of other women. We see the daily struggles of people. We talk of climate change, the labour movement, we see all, we understand all. And we find a nurturing space in feminist movements. That coming together, that camaraderie makes us feel better,” she said.

Continuing the discussion about feminist movements, Pakistani women’s rights activist and a former provincial minister of Sindh, Anis Haroon, said that she has been a journalist and also a part of WAF.

Praising Uks’ work regarding women and analysis of what comes out in the media about them, she spoke about television plays in which they show the women tolerating violence. “Why does she take it? It shows our society’s thinking. If she revolts, the audience has issues with it. But they are fine with her taking abuse,” she said.

“Courage and conviction is found in many individual women. But this quality is only recognised when it comes forward in the shape of a group. Going ahead together also shows strength,” she said.

She also said that one doesn’t have to be female to understand exploitation of women. “There are also men who see this, who respect women,” she said.

The afternoon concluded with a brief radio programme Uks Kahani that featured women who have shown exceptional courage and resilience such as a young female footballer, a woman who runs a pharmacy from her motorcycle, a widow who sells sugar cane juice to run her home and educate her children, two student entrepreneurs who run their business called Oven Diaries which connects bakers with customers, tribal women, etc.

Published in Dawn, January 2nd, 2022