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“Women are not born to fulfil anyone’s fantasy,” wrote actor Hania Aamir in the caption of a video she shared on Instagram on Wednesday. The video was from her speech at the 16 Days of Activism Against Digital Violence event in Islamabad in December.

“Somewhere along the way, I was made to feel like being too much was a flaw. Too loud. Too soft. Too ambitious. Too visible. Too many things at once,” she added.

Aamir, who was appointed Pakistan’s National Goodwill Ambassador for UN Women last October, shared the clip from an event she attended in December, elaborating on her emotions about the defining moment in her life.

“When I was younger, I thought something was wrong with me because I did not fit the version of a woman the world seemed comfortable with. So, standing there as the National Goodwill Ambassador for UN Women, the teenage girl in me was stunned.

“Because all along, I was never the problem. The boxes were,” she wrote, reflecting on the moment she addressed the audience.

Known for both her performances on screen and her candid online presence, Aamir joined a prestigious list of goodwill ambassadors, with three others holding the title from South Asia — activist Muniba Mazari, Indian actor Farhan Akhtar and Indian tennis pro Sania Mirza.

The 16 Days of Activism Against Digital Violence campaign ran globally from November 25 to December 10 and focused on ending digital violence against women and girls last year. The conversations were closely tied to the rise of artificial intelligence, particularly its misuse through catfishing, image manipulation and misinformation, as well as the growing culture of misogyny across online spaces.

During her speech, Aamir spoke openly about navigating public life as a woman online — and the scrutiny that came with it from a young age.

She said she was made to feel there was something wrong with her simply because “ I was a woman who had a voice and was not acting like an underdog but a go-getter”.

She thanked the UN committee for reminding her that existing on her own terms was “absolutely fine”, saying the opportunity to serve as a goodwill ambassador reaffirmed that belief.

“We are all different human beings and we need human rights.”

Returning to the central theme of her address, Aamir underlined a message she has repeated both on stage and online. “Us women, we are not born to fulfil anyone’s fantasy of a woman. We are human beings and we will live as we want.”

She also pointed to the unequal standards applied to women and men in public life, noting how women are questioned for juggling multiple roles, while men are praised for the same.

No matter how much women do, she said, “the headline will still be her marriage,” whereas for men, doing “many things” is seen as impressive.

Aamir concluded her speech and her post with a clear declaration of autonomy.

“We exist exactly how we want to. Not for approval. Not for comfort. Not to fit anyone’s mould. Just as we are. And that is more than enough.”