Class Lecture Number 2 : Waves Of Feminism

Feminism :

Feminism is a range of political movements, ideologies, and social movements that share
a common goal.
It is a belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities.
Organized activity on behalf of women's rights and interests.
The belief that women are should be treated as equals to men.
The issue of rights for women first became prominent during the French and American
revolutions in the late 18th century.

Note :
The origins of feminism came from The French Revolution (1789).
Historical Ways : Waves
The history of the modern western feminist movements is divided into three "waves".Each wave
dealt with different aspects of the same feminist issues.
1st Wave : ( 19th and early 20th century throughout the world )
The first wave comprised women's suffrage movements of the nineteenth and early twentieth
centurys, promoting women's right to vote. ( Upper and Middle class womens ).

Womens Demands : ( 1st wave )

It focused on legal issues, primarily on gaining women's suffrage (the right to vote).
The right to an education.
The right to work.
The right to work safely, the right to the money they earned when they worked
( Employment ).
The right to a divorce.
The right to their children.
The right to their own property.
The right to their contest election.
The right to their Marriage Laws.

Achievements Of First Wave :

Their major achievements were :

The opening of higher education for women

Reform of the girls' secondary-school system.
The widening of access to the professions, especially medicine.
Married women's property rights recognized
Some improvement in divorced and separated women's rights.
Active until the First World War, First Wave Feminists failed, however, to secure the
women's vote.

2nd Wave :
The second wave was associated with the ideas and actions of the women's liberation movement
beginning in the 1960s. The second wave campaigned for legal and social equality for women.
Second wave feminism saw cultural and political inequalities as linked.
In 1960s' feminism : Wave
This was a time when there was an increasing entry of women into higher education, the
establishment of academic women's studies courses and departments and feminist thinking in
many other related fields such as politics, sociology, history and literature.
Sexual politics :
1. Lesbianism :
One challenge within second wave feminism was the increasing visibility
of lesbianism within and without feminism.
2. Reproductive Rights :
Feminists was in gaining the right to birth control, which were almost
universally restricted.
3. Abortion :
Access to Abortion was also widely demanded by feminists.
4. Equal Wages :
I.
II.
III.

Employment Salarys.
Financial Equal Rights / funding at every level.
Equality In Socio Political fields.

3rd Wave :
The third wave is a continuation of, and a reaction to, the perceived failures of second-wave
feminism, beginning in the 1990s. In the early 1990s in the USA, third-wave feminism began as

a response to perceived failures of the second wave and to the backlash against initiatives and
movements created by the second wave. Third-wave feminism distinguished itself from the
second wave around issues of sexuality.
Third wave feminists often focus on " micro politics ", and challenged the second wave's
paradigm as to what is, or is not, good for females.
The interpretation of gender and sexuality is central to much of the third-wave's ideology.+
Impact of globalization on women, especially women in developing countries :
Rise of human trafficking, sex trafficking.
Other issues facing women in developing world, e.g., women living under
Taliban, facing death by stoning under Shariah law and facing genital cutting.
Global movement against violence against women
Third-wave feminists often focus on "micro-politics" and challenge the second wave's paradigm.
Feminism Culture In Pakistanis Society :
Feminism has been alive in Pakistan since the country was born. During partition of the British
Indian Empire in 1947.Feminism, in Pakistan, is currently being spearheaded by females, and
majority of them are doing their job quite well.But for feminism to flourish, males also need to
be part of this cause.
Zia Ul Haq Regime :
This period starting from 1977-1988 is regarded as the second dictatorship era in the history of
Pakistan era, it is also called the era of Islamization. General Zia-Ul-Haq took over as the
president of Pakistan in 1977 after Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.His period of power is also regarded as
the era of Islamization because immediately after getting hold of president- ship of Pakistan he
introduced strict Islamic Laws such as creation of Majlis-e-Shaura and exclusion of Ahmadis
from the muslim faith. People regard Zia as one of the good leaders and president of Pakistan.
Note :
However, Zia-ul-Haq initiated a process of Islamization by introducing discriminatory
legislation against women such as the set of Hudood Ordinances and the Qanun-e-Shahadat
Order (Law of Evidence Order). He banned women from participating and from being spectators
of sports and promoted purdah.
A Federal Shariah Court was established to decide cases according to the teachings of the Holy
Quran and Sunnah.
Majlis -e- Shoora :

Zia-ul-Haq nominated the Majlis-e-Shoora (Federal Advisory

Council) and inducted 20 women as members, however Majlis-e-Shoora had no power
over the executive branch. Zia wanted to bring the legal, social, economic and political
institutions of the country in conformity with the Islamic principles, values and traditions
in the light of Quran and Sunnah, to enable the people of Pakistan to lead their lives in
accordance to Islam.The Government of Zia-ul-Haq took a number of steps to eradicate
non-Islamic practices from the country.

Process Of Islamization :
Islamization was given a new boost. " Islamisation" was the "primary" policy by Zia
ul Haq. Zia has also been called "the person most responsible for turning Pakistan into a
global center for political Islam"Pakistan had been founded as a separate Muslimmajority state on the world map.Zia committing himself to enforcing his interpretation
of Nizam-e-Mustafa ("Rule of the prophet" Muhammad), i.e. establish an Islamic state
and sharia law.
General Zia-ul-Haq wanted to make Pakistan the fort of Islam so that it could play an
honorable and prominent role for the Islamic world.
Zia established separate "Shariat" courts and court benches[5][6] to judge legal cases using
Islamic doctrine.. A Shariah Council consisting of ulema was established to look into the
constitutional and legal matters of the State in order to bring them in line with Islamic
thought.
Council of Islamic Ideology :
Council of Islamic Ideology ( Urdu : ) is a constitutional body of the Islamic
Republic of Pakistan, responsible for giving legal advice on islamic issues to the government
and the Parliament. The body was founded in 1962 under the government of Ayub Khan.
Qanun -e- Shahadat Order ( Law of Evidence Order - 1984 ) :
The decision of every case civil or criminal depends upon evidence is necessary. Article 164
deals with the evidence that has become available because of modern devices and technologys
etc..
Role Of Fatima Jinnahs And Begum Rana Liaqat Ali khan :
In 1947, a Womens Relief Committee, which oversaw refugee transfers between India and
Pakistan, was founded by Fatima Jinnah, the sister of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Pakistans
founding father. Then Begum Raana Liaqat Ali, the wife of Pakistans first prime minister,

founded the All-Pakistan Womens Association in 1949; that organization worked for the moral,
social and economic welfare of Pakistani women. Ms. Jinnah ran in the presidential elections in
1965 and was even supported by religious parties, but lost to the dictator Ayub Khan.
Hudood Ordinance :
The Islamic laws of Zia also included laws for women. Zia put forward the theory of
Chadar Aur Chaar Devari .
( meaning : limits or restrictions, as in limits of acceptable behavior in Islamic law )
The womens empowerment bill and anti-honor-killings bill were all moved in Parliament. It was
about the anti-sexual-harassment bill were all eventually codified in Pakistani law over the next
several years. Pakistani women's and human rights groups protested the law, and international
media gave it publicity.
W.A.F :
In the 1980s, the Womens Action Forum was used actively to oppose Zias vision of Islam;
today, Pakistani feminist collectives continue to protest violence against women, raise awareness
about womens education and political and legal rights and women-friendly laws.
APWA : ( All Pakistan Womens Association ) Feb 1949
Begum Raana Liaquat Ali Khan, founder of APWA was the wife of Pakistans First Prime
Minister. She was a woman of outstanding achievements whose contribution to human rights and
social welfare. She was the first Muslim woman to win the Human Rights Award. Her passion
for humanitarian causes and pioneering of woman in the cause of woman rights. Begam Raana
Liaquat Ali Khan is best known as the Founder Life President of the All Pakistan Womens
Association (APWA).
They are all related to education, health and womens empowerment which is APWAs core
philosophy. APWA developed from emergency relief work during the refugee crises at the
partition of India and Pakistan. APWA is the countrys oldest N.G.O and the largest organization,
of voluntary women workers.