Thread by @nabeelaq

Pakistan was made by the sacrifices of countless brave men, women & children. Among them is the blind, unwavering support of a sister who stood beside her brother like an iron wall.

Fatima Jinnah reflects the strength of our women.

But, what are we doing to them in return?

2. The appalling stats that represent a fraction of the cruelty that’s taking over our streets are a result of a systematic failure.
But, these stats don't represent their potential, it shows our inability to protect and support them.

3. Women are leading different industries in & out of Pakistan each day.

Post partition, Fatima Jinnah worked tirelessly to keep the vision alive & her presidential election was the 1st by a woman in a post-colonial Muslim society.

From that to where we are today is a long fall

4. Despite the continuous lack of encouragement & support, our women have surpassed all odds to make a name for themselves.
We have the likes of Begum Ra’ana Liaquat Ali Khan, one of the leading female figures who founded the All Pakistan Women’s Association (APWA) in 1949...

5. ...to Major General Shahida Malik (1st lady officer in Pak Army to have reached a 2-star rank) & Lt. General Nigar Johar (1st & the only woman in the history of Pak Army to reach the rank of lieutenant-general, & the 3rd to reach the rank of major-general).

6. Ayesha Farooq, 1st female fighter pilot, who now flies missions alongside her 24 male colleagues; Marium Mukhtiar, 1st female combat pilot to embrace martyrdom & Saira Amin, 1st female earn a Sword of Honor in any defence academy of Pakistan, all signify bravery!

7. When it comes to Police, we have Rizwana Hameed - 1st female head of a male police station in KPK, Helena Saeed - 1st female Additional Inspector General of Police in the country’s history, Rafia Qaseem Baig - 1st female bomb disposal officer & now many more paving the way!

8. When it comes to politics, Benazir Bhutto became the 1st woman leader of a Muslim nation, serving as PM of Pakistan.
Today, the likes of @DrFMirza, who has served as the 18th & the only woman Speaker of the National Assembly are making their mark in the government.

9. Recently a team of 15 women officers received major recognition for being the 1st all-female group from 🇵🇰 to serve in a UN peacekeeping mission. Similar precedent was set by @LodhiMaleeha, 1st rep. to the @UN from 🇵🇰 & the longest-serving ambassador to the US.
@usembislamabad

10. In the world of literature & media, Bano Qudsia & Fatima Surraya Bajia have left us w/ countless classics.
Names like Jehan Ara Saeed, Shaista Zaid & Ishrat Fatima, represent the finest voices of our radio & TV in English & Urdu news reporting.
@RadioPakistan @PTVNewsOfficial

11. Who can deny the lifelong contributions of Bilquis Edhi sahiba? She stood by Abdul Sattar Edhi Sb throughout & still furthers the mission of equality as the co-chair of the Edhi Foundation.
'The Mother of Pakistan' defines what it means to live with purpose & responsibility.

12. Each gender has the right to make their own decisions, have basic rights & a safe environment.
Justice @NasiraIqbal3 (former Justice of the LHC) & Asma Jehangir, co-founder of the @HRCP87 among other titles, lived a life fighting for justice and equality.

13. Entrepreneurship & tech are ever-growing industries Seema Aziz - founder @BareezeOfficial & @CAREFoundation, @jehan_ara - founder @TheNestiO, @sidraqasim - cofounder @WearAtoms & Shahida Saleem (@dotz_connector) - @impactnetworkpk are some leaders catalyzing these industries.

14. Sports is another field where a culture of discrimination is prevalent, globally. Even then, women like @mir_sana05 - former Capt. PK National Women's Cricket Team, @saminakbaig - 1st Pakistani woman to climb Mt. Everest, prove that nothing is impossible.
@TheRealPCB

15. We also have heroes like Dr. Ruth Pfau who dedicated her life to eradicating leprosy in Pakistan, @DrShaguftaFeroz - physician & a 'Correct Eating Activist' & Dr. @SaniaNishtar who is currently leading the largest safety-net & poverty alleviation program in the country.

16. On the international fronts, we have been represented by Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy @socfilms in securing the 1st Oscar for Pakistan, @malala - the youngest female @NobelPrize laureate & of course, Arfa Karim - youngest @Microsoft Certified Professional.
@SaminaArfa

17. There are some sacrifices that can never be forgotten, like that of Ms. Tahira Qazi, Principal Army Public School, who embraced martyrdom after taking a bullet to her head.
She fought till the end to protect her students from terrorists that took 148 innocent lives that day.

18. Women like Shamim Akhtar,1st female truck driver, challenged the transport sector to Dr. Nergis Mavalvala- Pakistani-American Astrophysicist, a key contributor to @LIGO, Dean of @ScienceMIT & the 1st-ever woman in this role, are those who fought stereotypes to make their way.

19. Our girls and women need these names as role models around them. Societies have been shaped over the years through the influence of media & the internet, whether we accept it or not.

When was the last time we propagated stories of strong women for our people to learn from?

20. Efforts made by @nighatdad towards controlling cybercrime are essential in equipping our women with the right awareness against online harassment.
@DigitalRightsPK

From 1 channel in the 90s to thousands in every phone today, the concept of regulation has vanished.

21. The dichotomy that has seeped into our systems has to be uprooted.
If it's not safe for a woman to go out at night, then neither is it for a man. Attacks can result in trauma & death for everyone.
Unless the rules aren't the same, the responsibility won't be the same.

22. Our numbers are terrifying.
There were 3,881 rape cases, 1,359 child sexual abuse cases, 1,126 child abuse cases, 1,758 cases of violence against women, 12,600 women kidnapping cases & 197 honour killing cases reported in 2019 in Punjab alone.
And these are just a fraction.

23. Women make up 48.54% of our population. That's a force of over 100M, who if rightly supported, can drive our future.
But only 25% are in the labour force whereas the world avg. is 48.7%.
That means 41M b/w the ages of 15-64 aren't being included as economic contributors.

24. Globally, 6 countries give women equal work rights as men. Recently Brazil equalled pay & prize money for its men’s & women’s national soccer teams.
Whereas only 37 Fortune 500 companies are women-led, & only 19% firms have female managers.
Long way to go.
@FIFAWWC

25. According to the @wef's recent Global Gender Gap Report, it'll take another 108 years to reach gender parity.
This can't happen unless education, safety, nutrition & clean drinking water aren't a priority for our women & children.
We can't compete globally without them.

26. But, where do we start?
We need to raise our boys better, who know what it means to practice 'positive shame'. How can a man's shamelessness ever be justified?
Those who breakaway & destroy the fabric of our society need to be dealt with the harshest of punishments.

27. It’s ludicrous to shift the blame on the victim.
The rules have to be the same. If a woman is advised to 'not be at the wrong place at the wrong time', then the same goes for a man.
Men policing women on what to do is unacceptable & reflects lack of respect for them.

28. The solutions aren't one-dimensional. These are crimes that have ruined entire families & generations to come. We need to question everything we see, hear & accept as 'norm'. It's these seemingly 'harmless' changes in our environment that turn into these heinous crimes.

29. Our religion is a benchmark when it comes to gender equality.
There isn't a stronger role model than Hazrat Khadijah (RA) who was known for managing a trading business which was the largest of her time, philanthropy & creating opportunities for the weaker members of society.

30. Our women are yet to be given their basic rights, safety & respect. Imagine what they'll end up doing for us if given the right endorsements & an environment to grow.

A strong message needs to be given to those who even dare to think otherwise.

#Pakistan Zindabad!

*systemic