Aurat March Islamabad held a pre-march press conference at National Press Club Islamabad to announce its theme and demands for 8 March 2023.
The organizers presented a list of 60 demands, including an end to patriarchal violence, and the increased representation of women at all levels of decision-making concerning climate change.
A reduction in the defense budget and increased health and education allocations, raising minimum wage allocations, and moving away from the IMF’s anti-poor policies and debt traps.
The organizers explained that the decision to focus on the feminization of climate justice was taken in the aftermath of the devastating floods that ravaged the country in 2022, resulting in over 1,100 deaths and destruction/damage to one million homes.
While overall relief and rehabilitation efforts were required (and are still needed today), the specific impact on women and young girls has been largely neglected in mainstream discourse.
In light of this neglect, key demands have been advanced for 2023 by Aurat March Islamabad, including bringing an end to period poverty, ensuring economic justice, ensuring budgetary allocations for universal childcare in all formal workspaces in Pakistan, formalization of informal sector/market (where the majority of women are employed), among other significant demands.
The march organizers stated that despite an application for a grant of NOC being submitted to the District Administration well in advance, the same was turned down without any cogent reason just mere days before the march.
The District Administration and Islamabad Police were reminded of their obligation to safeguard the lives of peaceful marchers who have been observing the same route since at least 2018.
The organizers announced that the march would begin outside the Press Club at 2 PM and conclude at D-Chowk, as per routine.
