A diverse crowd of women, men, gender minorities, and human rights activists came together in Multan for the Aurat March, calling for equal opportunities and fundamental rights. The march, which moved from Nawanshahr Chowk to Multan Press Club, amplified the voices of working women in southern Punjab, such as domestic workers, farmers, teachers, nurses, and journalists, highlighting the unique challenges they face.
Participants demanded justice and progress on multiple fronts, including equal wages, financial rights, safer workplaces, access to quality education and healthcare, and protection from harassment. The march also underscored the need for digital rights, particularly to shield women and gender minorities from online harassment while ensuring internet access for all. A poignant call for justice was made for Rashid Rehman Shaheed, a distinguished human rights lawyer who was murdered in 2014 for defending freedom of expression.
Carrying placards and banners, the participants brought attention to issues of gender and climate justice and the rights of gender minorities. The march stood firm against forced marriages and religious conversions while advocating for greater legal and political representation for women and minorities.
Organizer Laiba Zainab shared a vision of a society grounded in equality, justice, and freedom and vowed to resist any attempt to suppress the struggle for women’s and human rights. Advocate Lubna Nadeem praised the march as a vital initiative to advance the mission of trailblazers like Rashid Rehman, ensuring that the fight for justice and equality continues with unwavering determination.
With its resounding calls for change, the Aurat March in Multan reaffirmed its commitment to building a society where every individual can thrive with dignity and equality.
