Aurat March Karachi like every year attracted a diverse crowd but followed a different approach this year.
The seventh aurat march like every year took place on 8th march at Frere Hall drawing a diverse crowd of men, women, transgender community, and members from marginalized communities.
The event started with "Dance as Resistance" conducted by Activist and Classical dancer, Sheema Kirmani.
Participants and activists, dressed in saffron attire keeping up with the theme, engaged in discussions on the protection of women, transgender individuals, and ethnic and religious minorities throughout the day-long event, accompanied by rhythmic drum beating in the background.
This year's demands were as follows:
Implementation of Sindh Home Based Workers Act 2018
An end to gender violence against girls and women of religious minority groups
Restoration of Democracy: a demand for separation of armed forces and civilian state along with the abolishment of military courts.
Safe shelter and housing for the transgender community
Stop hate campaign against the khawaja sira community
End Baloch genocide and Enforced disappearances
The event this year was divided into three tents for each segment. The main stage addressed common social problems like minority rights, forced conversions and jaranwala church attack.
Behnchara tent discussed gender hierarchies; problems faced by the transgender community, shedding light on transphobia and cissexism.
Churail tent held discussions on economic rights of women, food insecurity and hunger problems.
Organizers set up installments including “Wall of Resistance” and gut wrenching “Graveyard of Patriarchy'' that featured effigies of dead women and young girls including babies to highlight femicide in the country.
Aurat March organizers bore all the costs for the event through donations and merch sales including transport for the minority communities who had traveled from far away areas.
Organizers and participants left Frere Hall around dusk and marched all the way from frere hall to teen talwar chanting radical slogans.
The event ended with symbolic burning of the “Putla of Patriarchy”. As the dummy burned the crowd echoed with rage filled and emotional azaadi chants.
