Women’s Voice in Public Spaces

An Islamic way towards equality and rights.

by Azeemah Saleem*

Photo by R Umaima Ahmed for Global Voices.

On March 8, 2025, women in Pakistan participated in a march to show their solidarity with International Women’s Day. The march advocated the prevention of widespread violence, accessible healthcare, and economic fairness for women, especially in safe working conditions and equal opportunity.

Further, Aurat March highlights issues such as street harassment, forced labour, and under-representation in parliament. The first non-state-funded and non-hierarchical march began in 2018 in Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad and was announced as Aurat march. In 2020, women participating in the march were targeted by radical Islamist extremists. Simultaneously, conservative religious groups orchestrated modesty rallies in Lahore and Karachi, promoting and safeguarding Islamic principles. The march engages young people and encourages inclusion, advocating the breakdown of patriarchal structures and societal transformations by reclaiming the public space.

The Aurat march didn’t evolve out of a vacuum. It reflected Pakistan’s feminist history, at the time of General Zia’s Islamisation, when women protested the Hudood ordinance. Further, the NGO-isation of the feminist movement and political action and the mushrooming of small feminist collectives such as ‘Girls at Dhaba’ demanding equal rights in all spaces all culminated in the Aurat march. During such multiple events, women showcased their existence, asserted their voice, and countered discrimination through different means available. The Aurat march witnessed stimulating placards such as “mera jism meri marzi” (my body, my right), “lo mein baith gayi sahi se” (Look, I’m sitting properly), and “khana khud garam kar lo” (heat your food yourself). These signs, slogans, banners, and placards went viral, not only strengthening the concerning women's voice against inequality and discrimination but also causing swift and multi-pronged backlash from the state and conservatives. However, the march was condemned for promoting privileged and Western ideals in the Muslim country and for disrespecting cultural and religious sensitivity. Islamist groups, politicians, mainstream media and social media targeted women with all possible threats, such as rape and death threats, and no easy access to get a ‘No Objection Certificate’ for protest, along with public humiliation on various social media platforms.

While exploring the women’s demand for equal rights and justice in Pakistan through Aurat march, the question of women’s presence in the public sphere remains contested and highly debatable, especially under the pretext of Islamic clerics and conservatives. When exploring the Islamic law, it provides a comprehensive framework for women’s rights, where the Qur’an emphasises equality, justice, and dignity for all. Revered figures like Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (RA), Hazrat Fatima (SA), Hafsah bint 'Umar, and Aisha (RA) have greatly embodied the Islamic teaching from right to education and ownership to being leaders and nurturers in society. Their life reflected through Islamic teaching emphasising kindness, respect, and the dignity of women, recognising their essential role as “equals”, especially in shaping a more ‘just’ and compassionate society. However, the cultural and historical context has often shaped restrictive practices, as Amina Wadud argues how Qur’anic language does not inherently support male superiority, but later patriarchal interpretations imposed are the result of male-dominated exegesis (tafsir).

Although Wadud (1992), in her book “Qur’an and Women: Re-reading the Sacred Text from a Woman’s Perspective”, not only revisited the Quranic text language, such as the usage of the term Mu’minun (believers), which includes women, even when using masculine plural form. Further explores the notion of Tawhid (the oneness of God)—implies human equality, where no one human being has authority over another, along with spiritual and moral equality, as quoted in Qur’an Verses 33:35, “Indeed, the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing women... Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward.” and 4:1, “O mankind! Be conscious of your Lord, who created you from one soul.... Thus, neither gender is superior or inferior to the other; instead, they complement each other to keep the society intact. As a result, the demand for equality, rights, and justice during Aurat march is inherent to Islamic texts and Qur’anic readings.

Furthermore, Wadud (1992) challenged the patriarchal tafsir such as Al-Tabari or Ibn Kathir for reading through the lenses of their own cultural norms, preserving male privileges and ignoring women’s perspectives. Her clear distinction between spiritual equality (verses above) and legal/social inequality as interpreted via fiqh has advocated towards the Qur’an directly, which has rooted ‘ethics of justice’. While Fatima Mernissi, in her book “The Veil and the Male Elite”, re-evaluated the hadith chain of narrations and context where Islam granted rights that ensure women’s dignity and equality, as clearly demanded during the Aurat march.

In a nutshell, the early Islamic jurisprudence granted women the right to own property (verse 4:1 – “For men is a share of what the parents and close relatives leave, and for women is a share…” – ensure women’s right to inheritance). Mutual marriage and consent (verses 4:19 – “Do not inherit women against their will… – prohibits forced marriage and upholds women's rights to consent). To initiate divorce (Khula), custodial rights of the children, and the right to work (Verse 4:32 – “For men is a reward for what they have earned, and for women is a reward for what they have earned...) recognises economic agency and labour and engages in commerce, as reflected from Khadijah bin’t Khuwaylid (RA) life as a successful businesswoman. Further, the right to education is reflected in Sunan Ibn Majah (Hadith 224), where Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) reportedly said, “Seeking knowledge is an obligation on every Muslim, and the one who places knowledge with those unworthy of it is like one who throws pearls before swine.” However, conservative religious groups orchestrated modesty rallies in Lahore and Karachi to counter the Aurat march, in the name of promoting and safeguarding Islamic principles, contradicting the inherent notion of Qur’anic text.

Aurat march has always been about challenging norms and making space for diverse feminist expression laid on the principle of equality, justice and rights.

This year the Aurat march has been planned on different dates in different cities. Every date marked by its historical significance. In Lahore, the march was held on February 12, 2025, coinciding with Pakistan’s National Women’s Day, followed by a protest in Multan on February 23, 2025. Aurat March in Islamabad on March 8, 2025, was marked on International Women’s Day, and in Karachi and Mirpurkhas, it will be on Mother’s Day, i.e., May 11, 2025. The introduction of the historic march in Mirpurkhas led to the expansion of the movement’s reach.

The most prominent resistance emerged during the fourth wave, where new feminists differentiated from the older feminists, moving beyond the demand for equal rights to challenge the private sphere of life where patriarchy prevails. They not only challenged and deconstructed the hallowed private space, undermining the Qur’anic principles of equality and rights. Their banner highlighted the marginalised’ alternative gender identities and sexual expressions in the public spaces. Their voice covered wide-ranging issues such as property rights, equal pay, and educational opportunities. The use of social media becomes the scope and space for women to engage and practise their social, legal, and political rights.

The echo of Aurat march features how Pakistani women are utilising the public space to raise awareness, voice their dissent against discrimination, and create a space in all public spheres, especially in education, employment, law, and justice. In a nutshell, the experience of Pakistani women extends beyond cultural identity and social proximity. Instead, their demand reflected the Qur’anic teaching and the lives of revered figures such as Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (RA) and Aisha (RA).

Secondly, the active participation of women in the marches signifies the capability of women to engage in the political discourse and register their resistance, even against the government. Thirdly, through the Aurat march, Pakistani women expressed their opposition to the objectification of women when the state institutions emphasised ‘imposed’ religious laws through legislative power and institutionalised gender-based violence. The assertive women's voices, irrespective of privileges, have clearly located their marginality and dissent against the discrimination. The active engagement of women in the everyday political discourse through Aurat march reflected their capabilities and located their struggle from the Qur’anic readings in practising their basic human rights.

*Dr Azeemah Saleem is an Assistant Professor at the Center for Communication and Critical Thinking at JK Lakshmipat University, Jaipur. Her research findings have been published in Sage, Routledge, Political Book Review, Refugee Watch, and The Book Review.