In Solidarity With Women

Women in Pakistan have every reason to be angry. Pakistan cannot grow if it does not end the systemic exclusion of women in the country.

I will keep this post short, letting the data do the talking. But if you are one of those men (most of the subscribers here are men) wondering why women are marching and what they are angry about, then just close your eyes and imagine walking in a busy town or city in Pakistan.

If you are a man, odds are you can go about doing whatever you please at odd times of the day with not much to be concerned about (unless you are from Karachi, where street crime has given you much trauma). But if you are a woman, anxiety is embedded in your daily experience, from going to school to the corner shop to the market.

The reality is that Pakistan is a terrible place for a woman — you are poorly educated, have little to no control over your own decisions, and you or one of your friends is likely to have faced physical and / or sexual assault at a young age.

This is why women are marching. This is why women are angry. And this is why you should take a step back and empathize and support them, instead of critiquing one slogan or the other because it offends you.

And if you are still not convinced that things are terrible, check out the visual below.

And if you are still not convinced, listen to this conversation with Dr. Hadia Majid, where she shares details about the systemic exclusion of women in Pakistani society.