Another year, another Women’s Day. But what has truly changed for women in Pakistan? We raise slogans, hold rallies and talk about empowerment, yet the reality remains the same. Girls are still married off at a young age, denied education and stopped from working. Despite modern advancements, honour killings, rape and blackmail remain rampant. Women continue to be trapped by those they trust, yet society still blames them instead of holding perpetrators accountable. Beyond these visible injustices, another silent battle takes place within homes. Women are often held back not just by men but by other women — mothers, aunts and sisters who discourage rather than uplift. Instead of supporting one another, women often reinforce the very chains that society has placed upon them.
Success, too, comes at a price. If a woman achieves more than a man, relationships suffer. The fragile male ego cannot bear the thought of a woman rising above him. Instead of celebrating her accomplishments, society punishes her for daring to step beyond traditional expectations. We continue to chant slogans about women’s freedom, but why must a woman ask for something that should already belong to her? Why do people assume that freedom means she must become “like a man” rather than simply being free as herself?
Women’s Day should not be a mere formality. It should be a day of real change — change in the mindset. Until women break these barriers and are no longer made to fight for basic rights, they will remain in the same cycle of oppression. Women deserve more than words. They deserve action, respect and a world where they are not constantly forced to justify their existence.
ALIA ASAD ULLAH
TURBAT
