The organizers say that they still could not get ‘nod’ from the city administration regarding Aurat March.
LAHORE: (Urdu Point/Pakistan Point News-March 6th, 2020) The Aurat March manifesto ‘Khud Mukhtari’ has been formally launched, with an aim to aware the women for their rights.
In their manifesto, the Core committee of Aurat March came up with 15-point agenda and demanded an end to the IMF-sponsored economic policies and budget cuts as well as immediate control of inflation of basic foods. They said that the working-class women, gender and sexual minorities also suffering due to high inflation and price hike. They also demanded Rs 40,000 as fixed wages for the workers.
They presented the manifesto and made these demands while talking to the reporters at Lahore Press Club here on Thursday.
Talking about “Mera Jism Meri Marzi”, the speakers explained that demanding bodily rights was the basic human right, regardless of age. The issue of children’ sexual abuse was also taken up by the body who announced the manifesto of Aurat.
The core committee also rejected the rumors that the march was banned as per the order, saying that the march was not banned as per the court clear orders. A reporter questioned the women about their slogan “Mera Jism meri Marzi” , making them feel as if they were pushed, the core committee members started chanting slogans loudly.
“Mera Jism Meri Marzi,” they sloganeered.
“Of course, those who do not understand what does the slogan mean they are anti-Aurat March,” Farida Shaheed. “Who has a right over your bodies?,” she further asked. She also said that the yseem to be quite insecure and afraid about this side of the conversation. “When you talk about human rights, we are referring to a person and his or her body,” she stated.
“We talk about rape cases and sexual harassment even of little girls, yet no one thinks about that,” said Farida Shaheed. Neelum Hussain, another member of the core committee said that there was always fear whenever the demands challenged the status quo.
“Journalism is also male-dominated and therefore, they do not listen to our demands,” she said.
“When Khadim Hussain Rizvi was talking on tv and there was degradation of women, no one rose against it,” said another activist.
The core committee demanded safe and equal workplaces for women.
However, Aurat March Organizers could not get NOC from the Lahore’s city administration even after the Lahore High Court did not ban the march.
“There is still no information whether they are allowing us to conduct “Aurat March” or not,” said an activist.
The prominent leaders of transgender community also took part in the press conference.
