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Armeena Khan is more than happy to explain why we need the Aurat March

Armeena Khan is more than happy to explain why we need the Aurat March

She had a very detailed reply to a fan's question about what kind of change the march can bring.
11 Mar, 2022

It turns out that some celebrities actually do check their DMs. Take actor Armeena Khan who went through her inbox and found a fan confused about the Aurat March. Well, fret not dear fan, Khan made it a point to address your question and concerns with some meaningful answers to help you — and everyone else — understand just why Aurat March is needed.

Every year come March, women take to the streets to voice their issues and demand rights as part of the Aurat March. While many support the march as a much needed platform for women, others don't hold the event in the highest regards. Khan shared screenshots of a question a fan sent her about the march and the actor shared her answers on Instagram for everyone's benefit.

"With all due respect, I want to ask how the Aurat March will bring change in the life of those women who are oppressed, get raped, harassed in offices and workplaces, — even schools and madressahs — murdered, abused and killed in the name of honour?" the fan asked.

"A man who kills his daughter brutally will not be in anyway be affected by this march," they continued. "I am a huge supporter of feminism and want equal rights for everyone but those women who are already privileged, educated and have all the basic rights, right from birth, march for those who do not even have basic rights. Will this bring any change?"

Khan's fan believes that "only men can bring real change" in the lives of women. "... girls who are not educated and do not know any skills other than home chores end up getting married to men double or triple their age and obviously these girls cannot say no because this is what their fathers and brothers want and sometimes get money in exchange for their daughters and sisters and the vicious cycle goes on. I think that only men can bring the real change. They can be the chain breakers only if they want to be, [I] want to know your thoughts," they said.

Khan replied and said she felt the question "needed more than just a story post". "Killing, raping and denying basic human rights for women and girls is unacceptable, we can agree on that," the actor said. "Change is required. We can agree on that. But not everyone understands this change, so we can agree it needs to be communicated to wider society. Women are the best placed to decide what this change should look like. Women need a platform, a voice and equality of access to the public realm. Marches and protests are an established historical mechanism to enact socio-political change the world over, for example the Suffragettes.

"Aurat March cannot change everything singularly," Khan said. "It is not the complete solution, it is only a part, an important part of a range of actions required. As for privileged and educated women being part of the Aurat March, they are part of the movement because they are women. Their social position doesn't disqualify them. It's like saying Jinnah shouldn't have marched for the establishment of Pakistan because he was a westernised, educated, privileged man who had little in common with a poor subcontinent Muslim."

Many followers appreciated Khan's earnest answer to her fan and added to the conversation. "Just the fact that we are having this discussion, is a sound first step to addressing this long overdue issue of gender discrimination," one follower commented.

"People may associate this march to be a waste of time but this is exactly the kind of voice we need, to shake up the decision-makers and the leaders. More voice [means] more pressure on the authorities to prioritise cases of domestic violence and femicide, to at least provide justice and authority. People who complain that this is against Islam — you just need to review the news from last year till now on how many cases of violence have been found against women (and violence is actually contrary to the meaning of the word Islam, [which means] peace)."

Well said, Khan and her followers. There's nothing like a healthy and positive discussion to warm the heart and further the cause of improving the lives of women. Let's keep fighting the good fight.

Comments

Shahid Mar 11, 2022 04:50pm
All it needs is 'proper education' b/c instead of blindly following this or that, it will clarify meanings of 'equality' really is for uplifting collaboratively the society as a whole on all fronts. It is right of every citizen to question why all sort of evil keeps flourishing exponentially despite Constitution being full of rules and laws to discourage, rather eradicate evil. What really it calls for is for 'citizens' is to unite on fundamentals. That demands logical awareness and not emotional divisiveness. Your problem is lack of education and courage to challenge all evil and evil doers, at all levels of public and private; preferably starting with '(in)Justice'.
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Tanvir Khan Mar 11, 2022 05:41pm
Every conscientious man remains lifelong indebted and thankful to a woman, of whom he is a biological, psychic, and spiritual part, until his umbilical cord is cut! I Love You Woman, From My Heart & Soul!!!
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well-wisher Mar 11, 2022 07:07pm
Armeena, well responded. This is a women's rights issue in more than one way and includes access to education, fair and equal job opportunities, equal treatment to run households and raise kids etc in a non-combative way. Women should be law makers and gain access to run businesses at exec. level based on merit. So this March 8 march is good all over the world.
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zarmeena azeem Mar 11, 2022 07:15pm
@Tanvir Khan Tanvir I commend your gesture. Every man respects HIS mother. But how he treats his sister, cousins, wife, colleague, and woman on the street is what matters. The respect that is extended to the "Maa" has to be extended to all women. That is what is required.
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Memon Abdul Mar 11, 2022 11:07pm
And the day has arrived when "this" will tell anything to anyone... Better the cow milks another cow in a commercial and chews on grass...
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Imran Mar 11, 2022 11:14pm
A very articulate response by Armeena. Kudos to the actors who have the intelligence and the talent to contribute to our society's development.
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Truth be told Mar 11, 2022 11:33pm
I can explain it to Armeena in one prolonged sitting.
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TenJee Mar 12, 2022 12:12am
@Shahid You frame this as education to recognise and challenge 'evil and evil doers'. The problem with that is that those who oppose Aurat March see its and feminist values as evil. In Pakistan it all comes down to who defines what is 'good' and 'evil'. Why should the religious people accept the definitions of the others, because the others won't accept Islamic perspective. SO who will move?
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TenJee Mar 12, 2022 12:17am
No mention in any Pakistani media about the recent study that announced that the safest place for women in the world is .... Madina al Munawara. Food for thought, no?
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Gujjar Mar 12, 2022 12:35am
and still she didn't answer the question, just went around it. If you needs some constitutions, then task it to be debated in parliaments to make proper legislations. No need to do stunts for west.
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TTA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR TTP Mar 12, 2022 02:57am
Wake up people.... Pakistani is fast moving towards talibanization. The hordes of JUI-F are in Islamabad. WAKE UP.
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Anonymouseee Mar 12, 2022 03:21am
Everything should be based on merit. These feminists are out just to label all men as animals.
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Anonymouseee Mar 12, 2022 03:22am
@well-wisher the key word is “equal”. Alas, nowadays women are given privilege in jobs etc just because of their gender.
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Dan01 Mar 12, 2022 08:41am
First of all, Aurat March becomes topic of discussion, itself points out at the oppression women face. They don't even have the freedom to decide their actions! It has always to be scrutinized by the men in charge. Pakistan needs a basic change in attitude towards women. When the cabinet ministers opposes the march, it is the reflection of the mentality of the leadership. Long way to go!
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Ali Hassan Laghari Mar 12, 2022 12:10pm
Fortunately Aurat March is growing year by year, This year march was witnessed at Qambar-Shadadkot a very rural city from Sindh. Feminist leadership has to be going on the same pace, And from every part of the society progressive people must support and join.
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