Adil Najam
As a rule, we try not to repeat posts too often. Sometimes, we feel that the message is either pertinent again or that the original may not have been seen by a new crop of readership. I am reposting this picture and this post, originally posted on this date last year, because the message is even more pertinent today than it was a year ago, and because I feel like I need to say it again.
For Pakistan, this has again been a year of struggles as well as achievements for women. It marked the assassination of Benazir Bhutto – clearly the best known Pakistani woman, whatever you think of her politics. It marked also an election that saw more women win on general seats than ever before in Pakistan. But there was more, much more, to the daily struggles and achievements of Pakistan’s 70 million women that we need to celebrate. Today, and everyday.
In the metaphor of the original post, the message is that we all are (not just women, but men too) crossing the road to better gender relations, but we ain’t there just yet. Not by a long shot. Read on, please, even if you have read it before. What follows is my original post from last year.
Today is March 8 – International Women’s Day. Today we wish to celebrate women in the fullness of what it means to be a woman in Pakistan. To celebrate their achievements (also here, here, here, here, here, here and here). And to celebrate their struggles (also here, here, here here, here, here and here).
I have thought much about how best to capture the meaning of this day. It seems to me that in many very important ways, this picture above does.
I have admired this picture by Jawad Zakariya (whose work we have featured before here and here) from the moment I first saw it at Flickr. I had been waiting, however, for the right time and the right context in which to use it. Today, I feel, IS that right time and right context.
There is both dignity and determination in the posture of this young woman as she tries to cross the road (Jail Road, Lahore). As in any good photograph, there are a thousand stories embedded in this one. The metaphor of ‘crossing the road’ is itself so very pertinent for today. So full of meaning.
For me, here is a woman who is not waiting for someone to ‘help’ her cross the road. She is not demanding any special treatment. Not waiting for assistance. Not invoking the chuvinism of the men around her. She is ready, prepared, even eager, to overcome whatever hurdles come in her way. She just wants to cross the road on her own; for people (mostly men) to get out of her way. That, ultimately, is what this day is about. It is not about seeking special treatment, special dispensations, special laws. It is about ensuring that women have what we men have always had. The ability to realize their own potentials. To rise to their own aspirations. To be able to cross the roads they wish to cross… on their own.
yes the editorial in The News was quite good — even if i might say so myself (i didnt write it myself tho)
By the way, nice editorial in THE NEWS on this today:
http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=459 49
Also, the editorial in DAILY TIMES is not on this but is about this:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007 38\story_8-3-2007_pg3_1
According to this, this is how the MMA and JUI celebrated the International Women’s Day. By announcing that only men can be Prime Minister and President!!! Now you know what you are up against.
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The general secretary of the Jamiat Ulema Islam (F), Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, has delivered himself of a gem of wisdom that people had forgotten: only Muslim males should be allowed to hold the offices of president and prime minister of Pakistan. He said he was preparing a proposal for the MMA Supreme Council that this point should be put in the MMA manifesto for the upcoming elections.
I really like the meaning you put into the picture. It is a good picture and your interpretation is powerful. I really like teh idea of “To be able to cross the roads they wish to cross… on their own.” So many layers of meaning there.
When I think deeper into the issue, I see a problem with our mind-set. I mean, yes today we do have women in every field, even flying fighter jets but still they cannot ride a bicycle alone on the road even in major cities. Why is that?
At preliminary analysis, you can blame the over frustrated men who dont have ways to spend their energy in anything constructive like playing tennis, gym, hiking, building train models, night clubs, dancing, ice skating, or any other hobby that normal people need n do…
So that energy is released in negative ways, this also links to other crimes, even terror.
But when I think deeper, the problems kinda comes from women too. I am not trying to blame anyone but just trying to understand. Women have the power to inject rational thinking and create an architecture of a balanced personality as a “mother”. The mothers must train the kids especially boys how to behave in an educated society. They have control until that child is young. After that the opportunity is pretty much lost. So we have to ask,are our mothers teaching correctly? are our mother educated and capable of teaching that or teaching anything for that matter? are they conscious about whats on stake here? are they taking any steps on daily basis to educate themselves so they can transfer that education accordingly or are they simply waiting for a hero to come flying some day from the skies? or they r just busy fighting over the rates of aloo, gobee while the nation is drifting away…
Plus the society as a whole must open up. Meaning we cannot talk about just women rights and try to block everything else, that will not work. I dont think women rights is the problem, I think it is the National Character that needs to be fixed and women rights is one of the things in it. The entire hudood ordinance stupidity must be wiped out and nothing should be above the law.
Thank you for recognizing this day and our struggle, our determination. Its a struggle that all right-minded men and women must fight together.