Aurat March 2025. Image by the author. Used with permission.

This year's Aurat March, an annual socio-political demonstration held in Pakistani cities, took place on February 12 alongside National Women's Day. The march, themed Feminist History, was organized in collaboration with the Women’s Action Forum (WAF) to honour the struggle of women who resisted the draconian laws introduced by military ruler General Zia-ul-Haq in the 1980s.

Before the march, WAF and Aurat March held a joint press conference at the Lahore Press Club to present their 14-point charter of demands, addressing urgent issues such as gender-based violence, stringent censorship laws, and, in particular, the recent amendment to the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act 2025 (PECA).

Unyielding in the face of resistance

For the past six years, the Aurat March has been held annually on March 8, International Women's Day, by the feminist collective Hum Aurtein to raise awareness against patriarchy and advocate for the rights of women and marginalized communities in Pakistan. The march has consistently faced resistance from authorities and religious groups, and this year was no exception. Women were allowed to march only after the Lahore High Court directed the district administration to ensure the event could proceed.

Leena Ghani, an artist and activist, explained to Global Voices via WhatsApp how authorities initially did not take the Aurat March seriously:

In the first two years, authorities did not see the Aurat March as a threat or take it seriously as a movement. Post-2020, the state recognized its street power and accused it of spreading vulgarity. During the march, the slogan ‘Mera Jism Meri Marzi’ (my body, my choice) was raised, which led to significant backlash. Despite this, the Aurat March pushed back and took control of the narrative. Since then, it has engaged with the courts, as this has become the state's strategy to wear activists down and intimidate us into not organizing the march.

For the first time, the Aurat March will be celebrated this year over the course of two months on different dates. The Lahore chapter chose to organize it a bit early, as the holy month of Ramadan — observed by Muslims worldwide through fasting — begins in March, making it difficult for many women to participate.

Other chapters will organize the event on the following dates: Aurat March Multan on February 23, Aurat March Islamabad on March 8 (International Women’s Day) and Aurat Marches Karachi and Mirpurkhas on May 11 (Mother’s Day).

Feminist history in Pakistan:

The Women’s Action Forum (WAF) is recognized as a platform for advocacy, activism, and consciousness-raising that has been at the forefront of the women’s movement in Pakistan since 1981.

Nighat Said Khan, a feminist activist, told Global Voices via WhatsApp:

WAF has been celebrating it since 1984, and over the years, other organizations, including the National Commission on the Status of Women and government offices, have joined in organically. Even if it is not officially recognized by the government, it is still celebrated.

This year's theme focused on the Feminist History of Pakistan, honouring the women who defied the military dictatorship of General Zia-ul-Haq by organizing a public demonstration in Lahore on February 12, 1983, despite martial law regulations that banned all political activities, processions, and public protests. The demonstration was sparked by the proposed Law of Evidence, which, if passed, would have reduced the value of women's testimony to half that of men's. Since then, this demonstration has come to symbolize women’s unwavering belief in a gender-just democratic order that guarantees the full spectrum of human rights for all, particularly for those who have been historically marginalized.

Marchers, placards and performances:

The march is inclusive of people of all genders and ages, with women, men, and transgender people from all walks of life participating. Nighat Said Khan, a senior feminist activist, led the march from a wheelchair, inspiring passion and hope among the younger feminists around her.

However, over the years, it has been observed that the number of marchers is gradually decreasing, and the Aurat March is losing momentum. Nida Kirmani, Associate professor at Lahore University of Management Sciences, questioned on Facebook:

This is called the routinisation of protest, & it happens with every movement. For a movement to sustain itself & grow, it must continuously mobilise around particular issues/events that resonate with large numbers of people.

While speaking to Global Voices on WhatsApp, Asma Amir, a women's rights activist, refuted this by saying:

The reduced number of marchers stems from multiple factors: controversial slogans that alienate potential allies, institutional constraints, and a polarized public discourse that fixates on sensationalized rhetoric rather than the march’s substantive demands. However, the march’s significance lies not in its numbers, but in its symbolic defiance. Small but determined groups often seed societal change, acting as catalysts for broader women’s rights movements, even if progress appears incremental.

This year, the slogans largely focused on inheritance rights, ending enforced disappearances, gender-based violence, sexual abuse, and climate change. One placard that caught everyone’s attention was featuring influencer Maria Butt, known as Maria B. in the fashion industry. Some placards called her out as transphobic due to her statements against the transgender community and the Aurat March.

Once the march reached its destination, there were speeches highlighting various feminist movements that have been quietly working in Pakistan over the years. A dance performance by Ajoka Theatre followed, with people singing and dancing to revolutionary songs.

Art Installations:

Each year, the Aurat March comes up with creative ways to highlight the challenges women face in their daily lives due to patriarchy. This year, they set up a voting booth with statements written on boxes that women hear on a daily basis. Marchers were encouraged to cast their votes for the statements they had personally heard.

Image by the author. Used with permission.

There was also a phone on display with recordings of women who wanted to join the march but were unable to attend due to family pressure.

Wall of Rage. Image by the author. Used with permission.

Another display was the Wall of Rage, where marchers could express themselves using paint or pen. By the end of the march, the wall featured statements like “My Body, My Choice”, “Me Too”, and “Proud to Be Transgender”.

Purple sheet of hope. Image by the author. Used with permission.

They carried a purple chaddar (sheet) of hope, symbolizing the belief that one day, women's lives would change and they would be empowered. Another sheet displayed stories of harassment and abuse endured by them, their grandmothers, and their mothers over the years.

Social media influencers and YouTubers:

For the past few years, YouTubers have been covering the march in a negative light, harassing and attacking the marchers online. However, due to previous experiences, this year, marchers were reluctant to do interviews or engage with them.

Asma Amir, a women’s rights activist, spoke to Global Voices via WhatsApp:

Marchers have adapted by reporting YouTubers, with police cooperation limiting their direct access. However, creators still exploit distant filming and editing to spread negative narratives. The persistent use of slogans like Mera Jism Meri Marzi by media and YouTubers — despite its controversy — fuels backlash because sensationalism drives engagement, overshadowing the march’s core demands such as ending child marriage, stopping gender-based violence, among others. This distortion shifts public focus from systemic issues to polarizing rhetoric, perpetuating misrepresentation.