A whole lot of girls, males and transgender individuals marched in Karachi on Sunday, demanding the eradication of poverty, starvation and discrimination on the idea of gender to commemorate Worldwide Girls’s Day.
Individuals from numerous lessons and age teams participated within the march.
The central theme for this yr’s Aurat March was “Riyasat jawab do, bhook ka hisab do” (State give a solution and be accountable for starvation).
The venue for the march was modified for the second consecutive yr because the marchers gathered on the Burns backyard Karachi round 4pm as we speak. The date of the march was additionally modified this yr from March 8 to 12 because the organisers needed to carry the march on Sunday — to make sure most participation.
Nevertheless, the participation was slightly pale compared to the sooner marches. The rationale for the decrease attendance may very well be the current legislation and order scenario within the nation, an organiser informed Geo.television.
Starvation, poverty — a feminist difficulty
“Starvation, poverty, local weather change and inflation are all feminist points as girls — who’re a majority in Pakistan — bear the brunt of all these points extra closely than different sections of society,” stated one of many organisers on the event of the march.
Musical performances had been carried out on the occasion to lift consciousness about points resembling pressured conversions, bonded labour and transgender rights.
Trans rights and feminist motion
Numerous transgender individuals together with activists Shehzadi Rai, Mehrub Moiz Awan and Bindya Rana additionally participated within the march and took the stage to conscious the contributors concerning the points confronted by the trans neighborhood within the nation, particularly after the current wave of unfavorable campaigning towards the weak neighborhood.
Speaking to Geo.television, Dr Mehrub Awan stated that the aim of trans individuals’s participation within the march is to indicate solidarity.
“In a rustic torn by non secular, ethnic, linguistic and sectarian divide, individuals popping out in solidarity with one another is a uncommon sight,” Mehrub stated.
The contributors — after the performances — marched in the direction of the Sindh Meeting by way of the Arts Council of Pakistan. The marchers then staged a brief sit-in in entrance of the Sindh Meeting the place activists carried out a small play highlighting the difficulty of rape within the nation.
The marchers additionally held a protracted piece of white fabric with indicators of arms printed on it utilizing pink color. The material was carried by the marchers overhead and burnt on the finish of the march as a logo of anger over the hardships confronted by them in society.
A notable variety of police personnel had been assigned to supply safety to the marchers, who carried out their duties adequately.