The participants were singing songs and chanting slogans in support of women’s rights. They were also carrying banners with slogans demanding rights for women.
Members of a theatre group, Tehreek-i-Niswan, also staged a play highlighting the problems being faced by women in general and working women in particular, showing how vulnerable they are at the workplace at the hands of their employers.
Later, the participants releazed balloons and lit candles. Then they marched to the Phoohara Chowk near the Governor’s House. They stood at the Chowk, sang songs and chanted slogans for women’s rights. Later they returned to the Press Club.
A declaration distributed by the organizers among the participants during the demonstration said: “Millions of women and men around the world join to demonstrate their solidarity to bring justice to all and justice for women.
“The possibility of war in Iraq looms over us. In conflict zone women and children become victims of violence, torture, ethnic cleansing, rape and sexual abuse. They are uprooted from their homes and lodged in refugee camps where they are exposed to all kinds of human sufferings.
“We therefore pledge for peace and oppose war. We demand that conflicts be resolved through dialogue and not war. We demand from the government to condemn all acts of violence against women, prohibit acts of violence against women and establish adequate legal protection, prevent custodial violence against women.
Investigate all allegations of violence against women. Prosecute and punish perpetrators of gender violence. Provide adequate remedies and ensure reparation, including compensation, medical aid and rehabilitation of women victims of violence.
Protect women’s rights defenders. Condemn socalled honour killings, jirga system, injustices and Karo Kari traditions. Ensure women’s participation in the democratic process. Afford equal opportunities and health and education and create awareness regarding women’s rights.”
The declaration further said the process of legal reforms should be expedited and all discriminatory laws against women repealed or amended to remove discrimination against women; recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry for Women be implemented and the National Commission on Status of Women be activated in the right earnest and its recommendations be finalized and implemented.
“The government should ratify the main human rights treaties including the convent on civil and political rights, the convent on economic, social and cultural rights and the convent against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishments.”
Chief of the National Commission on the Status of Women, Justice (retd) Majida Rizvi, five members of the Sindh Assembly Shumaila Nazeer (MQM), Aziz Fatima (MQM), Shazia Marri (PPP), Nuzhat Pathan (PPP), Shama A. Mithani and a large number of councillors also participated in the demonstration which was jointly organized by Aahung, Aurat Foundation, Women’s Action Forum, Amnesty International, Hands, Takhleeq Foundation, War Against Rape, Shirkatgah, Urban Resource Centre, Piler and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.
EDHI FOUNDATION: Begum Bilquis Edhi has said that the western countries have progressed because the women there have been given their due rights and they have also played their roles in the progress of their countries.
Speaking at function organized in connection with the International Women’s Day, she said that in those countries everybody paid their taxes honestly and the government had enough funds to carry out social welfare projects for its deserving citizens.