BIRTH OF THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT IN INDEPENDENT PAKISTAN

How did the women's movement emerge in Pakistan and what factors created it? Was the women's movement born only from women's organizations? Do only urban women's organizations lead the entire country? Are class differences relevant here? Are knowledge creation and individual and collective consciousness the result of geographical and professional background? We can get answers to these questions only by analyzing theories. The path on which the women's movement in South Asia is moving is the path of integrating gender with development. Women's organizations in South Asian countries are fighting against the elements inimical to women's identity and are strongly opposing the politicization of religion. South Asian women are still trying to restore peace. Along with this, their movement is moving forward with other important issues, such as gender equality which is demanding equality at the level of law, capacity building, participation and governance. The struggle of the South Asian women's movement is visible on every issue. Lack of political power among women, gender inequality, health related issues, need for justice, human rights issues, need for peaceful development etc. are important issues but the path of women's movement in all these is difficult. Lack of state initiatives, feudal and patriarchal social structure and globalization market system and demand for cheap labor are making the path of this struggle more difficult. Many feminists believe that in the context of South Asia, women's movement and feminist movement are two different concepts. While women's movement talks about equal rights in a democratic structure, feminism challenges the legitimacy of a system which is oppressive for women.