Written by: Abeer — Peshawar
When a woman suffers injustice, it is not only one individual who breaks; an entire family falls silent.
Even today, many women in our society continue to struggle for their fundamental rights. In some places, a daughter is denied education; elsewhere, a girl is married off without her consent. Some wives endure domestic violence, while working women face harassment in the workplace.
The greatest tragedy is that women are often told: “Stay silent. What will people say?”
But the question is: Before asking what people will say, why do we not ask what the person committing the injustice is doing?
A woman’s right to live with dignity, receive an education, express her opinion, participate in important decisions concerning her life, and receive protection under the law are her fundamental rights.
We must teach our daughters to recognize their rights and to raise their voices against injustice. At the same time, it is equally important to raise our sons to understand that women are not weak or inferior, but equal human beings deserving of dignity and respect.
Women’s issues are not merely women’s issues; they are issues that concern the entire society. When a woman is denied justice, the future of our daughters becomes less secure as well.
The time has come for us to stop turning silence into a tradition.
A woman needs justice more than sympathy, protection more than promises, and a voice more than silence.
A better Pakistan will be one where no woman has to put her dignity, life, or future at risk simply to fight for her rights.
Because justice should not be visible only in our courts; it must also be reflected in our attitudes and our actions.
