FEMINIST MOVEMENT DURING MUSHARRAF REGIME: CHALLENGES AND ACHIEVEMENTS

چکیده

Feminism and feminist politics has become a most debated topic in recent time everywhere in the world because of increasing consciousness, awareness and demands about women`s right. Such consciousness and awareness about the rights of women have been turned out in feminist politics and movements in various countries for attaining gender equity. In Pakistan similar voices for women`s rights were also emerged in the past to put a stop on the increasing gender disparity in the society which have negative consequences on the lives of women. This study is about the feminist movements that have been come on surface during the military rule of Musharraf. He ruled about 9 years over Pakistan during which he initiated various reforms for the enhancing the status of women in the society. Those reforms were the outcome of the efforts of feminist movements which were making struggle and lobbying for the rights of women in Pakistan. The feminist`s movement of that era achieved a lot of gains for women in Pakistan. It also faced numerous problems in the way of their struggle for enhancing the position and status of women in the society. This paper presents a careful analysis of the feminist politics and movement in Pakistan during Musharraf`s rule for achieving women`s rights. In this perspective, this paper focuses to study the prospects and challenges of feminist movements of the Musharraf regime. This research work is a qualitative work and based on the analytical and descriptive method. Both primary and secondary sources were consulted to accomplish this paper.