Calls on mothers, daughters to break cycle of intergenerational trauma ‘one placard at a time’
Aurat March announced a Karachi event scheduled for May 10 at Seaview, sharing a poster themed “Good Girls” in observance of Mother’s Day. The illustration highlights the issue at hand, reflecting what society expects: “Girls who are always smiling. Girls who don’t speak, don’t question, and don’t resist.”
The post interrogates the idea behind the phrase “achi betiyaan” (good daughters) by raising a pointed question: “who is tasked with the loathsome job of creating an “achi” beti?” The caption answers, “Of course, mothers.”
It reads further, “pawns in a system who are falsely promised reward for passing down the same patriarchal conditioning they have endured throughout their lives to their daughters.” The caption asks why daughters must grow up constrained and diminished from childhood, and why mothers are made to bear the full weight of blame for this cycle.
The caption goes on to say, “This Mother’s Day, let’s vow to end this cycle of intergenerational trauma together — one placard at a time”.
Aurat March also shared a second poster, calling for collective action and protection for all women facing ongoing violence and oppression. It highlights the everyday realities many women endure, including “marital rape, domestic violence, surveillance, forced conversions, forced conversions, enforced disappearances, and the many other implicit and explicit forms of violence that the patriarchy revolves around.”
The page appealed for donations to support the march’s infrastructure, including the setup of sound systems and staging, as well as to sustain its year-round organising and community outreach efforts.
Aurat March is an annual non-violent, socio-political demonstration held across Pakistan to observe International Women’s Day and raise awareness on topics such as gender inequality, bodily autonomy, and increased accountability in domestic violence cases.
