More Women In Climate Change Decision: Aurat March Organizers In Pakistan List Demands

Organizers of Pakistan’s feminist collective Aurat March on Monday presented a list of 60 demands including putting an end to patriarchal violence, increase in the representation of women in decision making at all levels regarding climate change, reduction in defense budget and an increase in the allocation of healthandeducation.

The demands were put forward by women’s rights activists before the media at a pre-march press conference at Lahore’s National Press Club.

Other demands in the list included raising minimum wage allocations, and moving away from anti-poor policies of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and debt traps.

As per a report by Pakistan’s Dawn, the organizers said they decided to focus on “feminisation of climate justice” following the aftermath of the floods that ravaged the country last year claiming the lives of 1,100 people and damage to a million homes.

📢 Charter of Demands 2023

Pakistan is plagued with challenges on multiple fronts including climate, economy, as well as security and safety. These issues are deeply rooted in patriarchal systems, which makes them feminist issues. pic.twitter.com/azCT2r8JXk

— Aurat March Lahore – Aurat March Lahore (@AuratMarch) Mar 7, 2023

While, overall relief and rehabilitation efforts were required and are still needed today, they said, adding that the specific impact on women and young girls had been largely neglected in the mainstream discourse, reported the publication.

In light of this neglect, the organizers said that the key demands were advanced for this year by Aurat March Islamabad which included bringing an end to period poverty, ensuring economic justice and budgetary allocations for universal childcare in all formal work spaces in the country and formalization of informal sector/market which employs a majority of women.

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During the press briefing, the organizers claimed that their application for grant of no objection certificate was turned down by the district administration without any reason just days before the march.

The organizers announced that Aurat March 2023 would begin from outside the National Press Club in Lahore at 2pm and conclude at D-Chowk as per routine on March 8. The collective has been organizing its feminist march since 2018 on the same route.