Returning from the US after my talk at Google recently, I discovered that my love for Pakistan isn't something of a mere saying, its a terribly painful feeling mixed with longing and lots of tears. In just a little time I wanted to be back to my mountains I belong to, the noise and scent of this earth and the laughter of my siblings.
But when I got back, along with that satisfied feeling of familiarity I sensed another feeling which more like hit me like the breaking news we often get in Pakistan. The sense of freedom and mobility I had as a woman there in the US is not present in Pakistan. I could not walk to my office. Although I tried to but parents showed me eyes that said, don't you dare! I waited for the bus for a long time to get somewhere, I paid huge lumps of money to go around in a Rickshaw and more troublesome then anything I had to sweet-talk my brother for hours to get him to drop me off somewhere on his motorbike.
This sense of dependency kind of declared I was not a free woman after all, although I am by all definitions a "working woman" who tends to do their own decisions, makes their own choices and yes runs their own business. But when it comes to just going across the street, I cannot go on my own.
I have been thinking about this from a while now and I think International Women's Day gives me a good reason to get the word out there to all of my fellow girls in Pakistan.
Why don't we bike/motorbike to work and other places?
I know there have been a number of attempts on this previously in the country where amazingly brave women did the following:
I respect these women and girls and respect all of you out there who have wanted to do this from a long time (I know many of you). Lets begin once again, what's the worst that can happen?
If you want to join in on this slow revolution join us at Sughar Women Program facebook page today! www.facebook.com/SugharWomen
Seriously, this is going to be a good news for men who are tired of taking around their female family members everywhere.
But when I got back, along with that satisfied feeling of familiarity I sensed another feeling which more like hit me like the breaking news we often get in Pakistan. The sense of freedom and mobility I had as a woman there in the US is not present in Pakistan. I could not walk to my office. Although I tried to but parents showed me eyes that said, don't you dare! I waited for the bus for a long time to get somewhere, I paid huge lumps of money to go around in a Rickshaw and more troublesome then anything I had to sweet-talk my brother for hours to get him to drop me off somewhere on his motorbike.
This sense of dependency kind of declared I was not a free woman after all, although I am by all definitions a "working woman" who tends to do their own decisions, makes their own choices and yes runs their own business. But when it comes to just going across the street, I cannot go on my own.
I have been thinking about this from a while now and I think International Women's Day gives me a good reason to get the word out there to all of my fellow girls in Pakistan.
Why don't we bike/motorbike to work and other places?
I know there have been a number of attempts on this previously in the country where amazingly brave women did the following:
I respect these women and girls and respect all of you out there who have wanted to do this from a long time (I know many of you). Lets begin once again, what's the worst that can happen?
If you want to join in on this slow revolution join us at Sughar Women Program facebook page today! www.facebook.com/SugharWomen
Seriously, this is going to be a good news for men who are tired of taking around their female family members everywhere.
