Aurat March warrants full support from state and citizens

Lahore, 6 March. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expresses its unequivocal support for Aurat March, and strongly condemns any attempts to subvert, malign or threaten the march, its organisers, and supporters.

HRCP sees Aurat March as an integral part of the collective struggle for human rights in Pakistan and beyond. The depth and breadth of the movement’s manifesto is a measure of its inclusivity. Among its legitimate demands, Aurat March has called for an end to violence against vulnerable groups, including women, children, and transgender persons. It has spoken out against enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and warmongering. It has upheld the right to a living wage, the right to freedom of expression and assembly, and the right to a sustainable environment.

These rights are enshrined in the country’s constitution and its international human rights obligations. Above all, they are integral to any sense of humanity, empathy and compassion.

The ethos of Aurat March reflects the very values that HRCP has consistently upheld: inclusivity, peace, democracy, and the inviolable dignity of all persons regardless of gender, class, ethnicity, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation or identity. Thousands of young women, transgender persons, and men will mobilise on International Women’s Day to exercise their right to peaceful assembly and challenge the inherently discriminatory status quo. This is a matter of pride – not cause for censure – and warrants the full support of the state and citizens alike.

On behalf of Dr Mehdi Hasan

Chairperson