By Aarefa Johari, Indian Journalist
When I got selected for the PUAN Women’s Empowerment Conference in Pakistan, I was excited about meeting so many like-minded professionals from across Asia who all believe in women’s rights and work towards it, I was looking forward to stimulating discussions and, of course, travelling to Pakistan itself, which holds so much meaning for an Indian.
In Islamabad, I got to experience all of that and so much more. The conference, for one, was a tremendous success. It was smoothly organized, well-balanced between intense discussions and lighter, cultural interactions.
And more than anything, it was the people who made it work – the panelists who shared their stories and their views were inspiring to say the least, and we were able to approach questions of women’s rights and challenges from so many different perspectives: the portrayal of women in the media, the glass ceiling at the workplace, women in conflict zones, women breaking stereotypes to make it in male-dominated fields, women in social work…the list is definitely long!
But besides the panelists, I found it so enriching just to be amidst so many alumni from across Pakistan – literally every corner – from regions I wasn’t aware of, speaking languages I hadn’t even heard of before. The diversity was so wonderful, and went a long way in giving me a wider glimpse of the whole nation even though I was just in one city.
A session that really stayed with me was the one on people with disabilities, held outside the Pakistan Monument. As so many women and men shared their stories of the obstacles that our societies throw at them, it reaffirmed my belief that the fight for women’s rights can never be for women alone – if equality is the goal of feminism, then by definition it must be a larger fight for the equality of ALL, including people discriminated against on the bases of abilities, class, caste, sexual orientation or anything else.
And finally, I cannot conclude without emphasizing how completely overwhelmed I was by Pakistani dildaari – everyone I met, both at the conference and outside, went out of their way to express their love for India and their warmth hospitality for me as an Indian. That was the icing on the cake which made the Islamabad visit truly special.
