Chapter #4: Feminist Movements

@Educastic.CSS

Ch#4: Domains
1. Feminist Movements in the West.
2.First Wave, Second Wave and Third Wave of Feminism.

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3.United Nation Conferences on Women

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4. Feminist Movements in Pakistan.
PAST PAPER QUESTIONS:

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1. Outline and explain the three major waves of feminist movements in the
West. Discuss the influence of these waves on feminist movements in
Pakistan. (2023)
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2.Shed light on the first wave and third wave of feminism. (2022)
3.Outline and explain the three major waves of feminist movements in the
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West. Discuss the influence of these waves on feminist movements in

Pakistan. (2019)
4. Write a note on Suffragist Movement. (2019)
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1.Feminist Movements in the West

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Who is feminist?
• The Oxford English Dictionary defines ‘a feminist’ simply as “An
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advocate or supporter of the rights and equality of women.”

What is feminism?
• The term feminism refers to “the feminist activities that are done for
promotion of women’s interest and rights.”
• It can be defined as political, economic or cultural movement aimed at
establishing equal rights and legal protection for women.
 • The term feminism or feminist did not gain widespread use until 1960s,
but it was already used in public parlance. E.g. Katherine Hepburn speaks
of the feminist’s movements in 1842 film women of the year.

2. Feminist Movements in the West:

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2.1. First Wave of Feminism (WEST)
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Time Period:
• 1830’s -1900’s
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Slogan:
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• “Angel in the house.”

Concept:
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• Frances Power Cobbe wrote a book “The women Question in Europe” in

1884. In this book, she wrote that “Suffrage is the key to women’s
position in society.”
Background:
• French Revolution (1789)
• Marry Wollstone Craft wrote a book “Vindication of rights of women” in
 1792. In this books, she wrote about equality of men and women.
Introduction:
• First wave was focused primarily on gaining political power particularly
the right of women’s suffrage.
Objectives:
• Right to vote

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• Right to own land

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• Right to education
• Right to employment

Notable Feminists:
• Marry Wollstone Craft
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• Right to take custody of child after divorce
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• Sojourner Truth
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• Susan B. Anthony
Theoretical Orientation:
• Liberal Feminism
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• Revolution through soft tactics

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Major Achievements
• Right to vote
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• Higher Education Opportunities were given

• Extensive expansion of professions and jobs were done
• Right to Vote was given:
 Australia: 1902
 Finland: 1906
  Britain: 1918 and 1928
 France: 1944
 Japan: 1946
 Switzerland: 1971
USA: 1920 (19th constitutional Amendment)

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Criticism:
• No unified goal

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• Black women were forces to walk behind white women-racism
• Fought for rights of white women only

Time Period:
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2.2. Second Wave of Feminism (WEST)
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• 1960’s -1980’s
Slogan:
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• “The personal is political.”

Concept:
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• Marsha Lear published an article in NY times in 1962. In that article she

said, “ till now it was the first wave, now second wave has begun.“
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Background:
• Betty Friedan wrote a book “The Feminine Mystique-1963”. According to
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her, the idealized image of domestic womanhood is feminine mystique

which had created an identity crisis among American women.
• Civil Rights Movement after WWII
 Women Liberation Movement
 Women Right Movement
Introduction:
• Second wave was focused primarily on gaining equality in society which
had not been achieved by suffrage right.
Objectives:
• Sexual freedom which includes desired sexual orientation, reproductive
rights and right to abortion.

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• Rights of LGBT community

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• Integration of women into workforce
• Equal funding of women from banks
• Right to singlehood
Notable Feminists:
• Simon de Beauvoir
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• Betty Friedan
• Shulamith Firestone
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Theoretical Orientation:
• Radical Feminism
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• Revolution through hard tactics

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Major Achievements
• 1964: Prohibited discrimination against employees
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• 1965: Right to control child birth

• 1972: Prohibited discrimination on basis of sex in any federally funded
education program
• 1973: Right to abortion
• 1975: First world conference on women held by UNO in Mexico
Criticism:
• Did not address the concerns of a large number of women.
• Participation of black women was not active

2.3. Third Wave of Feminism (WEST)

Time Period:

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• 1980’s -2012

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Slogan:
• “The pleasurable is political as well.”
Concept:

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• Third wave emerged in mid 1990’s when Rabecca Walker published article
“ I’m the third wave” in 1992.
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Background:
• 1991: Anita Hill case
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• 1992: The Year of Women celebration (24+3)

• 1995: Protests “Angry Women in Rock”-talked about violence on women
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Introduction:
• Third wave was focused on local, national and trans-national activism
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to eliminate violence against women such as women trafficking, body

surgery and pornofication.
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Objectives:
• Resistance to women objectification
• Define feminism according to own perspective
• Resistance to racism
• Fight against workplace harassment
 • Criticize concept of universality
Notable Feminists:
• Rabecca Walker
• Judith Butler
• Ariel Levy

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Theoretical Orientation:
• Post-Modern Feminism

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• Breakdown of master stories of oppression on women
Major Achievements
• Diversification of feminism
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• Rejected concepts of universality
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• Rise of LGBT
• Legal victories
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Criticism:
• Lack of political will to bring about social change
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• Over focus on identity issues

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• Mistakenly assumed that feminism is an unfeminine approach which denies

institutions of marriage, family and traditional values.

3. United Nation Conferences on Women

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UN Conferences on Women
1) Mexico City - 1975
2) Copenhagen - 1980
3) Nairobi - 1985
 4) Beijing - 1995
5) New York - 2000
1. Mexico City:1975
• This Conference took place in Mexico City from June 19 to July 2, 1975.
• This conference marked a pivotal moment in the global women's rights
movement, bringing together delegates from various countries to address

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the challenges faced by women worldwide and promote gender equality.

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Objectives of the Conference:
• Assess the status of women's rights globally
• Establish strategies to improve gender equality

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• Create an action plan to address challenges faced by women
• Promote equal rights and opportunities for women in all aspects of life
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• Eliminate discrimination, violence against women, and unequal access to
resources
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Outcomes of the Conference:

The Mexico City conference resulted in several notable outcomes:
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• World Plan of Action:

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The conference adopted the "World Plan of Action" for the implementation of
the goals of International Women's Year. The plan emphasized equal rights and
opportunities for women in education, employment, healthcare, and political
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participation. It also addressed the need to eliminate discrimination, violence

against women, and unequal resource distribution.
• United Nations Decade for Women:
A significant achievement of the conference was the establishment of the
United Nations Decade for Women, spanning from 1976 to 1985. This
initiative aimed to mobilize resources and international cooperation to promote
gender equality and women's empowerment over the course of ten years.
2. Copenhagen - 1980:
• The UN Conference held in Copenhagen in 1980 is commonly referred to
as the United Nations Conference on Women: Equality, Development,
and Peace.
• This conference is aimed to assess the progress made in advancing
women's rights and to further promote gender equality.

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Objectives of the Conference:

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• Review and assess the implementation of the World Plan of Action
adopted in the Mexico City conference.
• Promote women's rights, gender equality, and the empowerment of
women in various aspects of life, including education, employment,

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health, and political participation.
• Strengthen international cooperation and mobilize resources to advance
women's rights and gender equality.
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Outcomes of the Conference:
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1. Platform for Action:

The conference produced the Copenhagen Platform for Action, which
provided a comprehensive framework for advancing women's rights and
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gender equality. The platform addressed various areas such as education,

employment, health, political participation, and violence against women. It
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called for policy changes, institutional reforms, and international cooperation

to achieve gender equality.
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2. Regional Perspectives:
The conference highlighted regional perspectives on women's rights and gender
equality. Representatives from different regions shared their experiences,
challenges, and strategies, leading to a better understanding of diverse issues
faced by women around the world.
3. Nairobi-1985:
 • This conference was a significant event in the global women's rights
movement, building upon the outcomes of the previous conferences in
Mexico City (1975) and Copenhagen (1980).
• The Nairobi conference aimed to assess the progress made in advancing
women's rights and to address the challenges that still existed.
Objectives of the Conference:

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• Identify persistent barriers and challenges faced by women globally.

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• Promote women's empowerment and gender equality in all spheres of life,
including education, employment, health, and political participation.
Strengthen international cooperation and solidarity to advance women's rights
and gender equality
Outcomes of the Conference:
1. Political Empowerment:
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The conference highlighted the importance of women's political empowerment
and their increased participation in decision-making processes at all levels. It
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called for measures to ensure equal opportunities for women in politics and
leadership positions.
2. International Cooperation:
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The conference stressed the significance of international cooperation and

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solidarity in advancing women's rights. It highlighted the need for collaboration

among governments, NGOs, and other stakeholders to address the challenges
faced by women worldwide.
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4. Beijing - 1995 :
It was a landmark event that brought together governments, NGOs, and
women's rights activists from around the world to address gender equality and
women's empowerment.
Objectives of the Conference:
 • Identify persistent challenges and barriers to gender equality.
• Develop a comprehensive plan of action to promote women's rights and
empower women in all spheres of life.
• Strengthen international commitments and cooperation to advance
gender equality.
• Outcomes of the Conference:

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• 1. International Commitments:

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• The conference generated global commitments to advance women's
rights and gender equality. Governments pledged to take specific
measures to implement the Beijing Platform for Action and allocated
resources to support initiatives aimed at achieving its goals.
• 2. Civil Society Engagement:
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• The Beijing conference witnessed significant participation from civil
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society organizations and women's rights activists. Their active
engagement influenced the conference's outcomes and ensured that
diverse perspectives and grassroots voices were represented.
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5. New York-2000:
This conference was aimed to review the progress made in advancing
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women's rights and gender equality since then.

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Objectives of the Conference:

• Evaluate the progress made in achieving gender equality and women's
empowerment.
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• Identify persistent challenges, emerging issues, and obstacles to women's

rights globally.
• Strengthen commitments and strategies to accelerate the achievement
of gender equality
Outcomes of the Conference:
 1. Political Declaration:
The conference adopted a Political Declaration reaffirming the commitments
made in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. The declaration
acknowledged progress made, highlighted remaining challenges, and called for
renewed efforts to achieve gender equality.
2. Strengthened Commitments:

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The conference reaffirmed commitments to advance women's rights and
gender equality. Governments pledged to take concrete steps to address

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issues such as violence against women, women's economic empowerment,
women's health, and education.

4. Feminist Movements in Pakistan

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Impact of First Wave of Feminism:( 1830-1950)
1. Colonial Rule:
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• Between the years 1886 to 1917, ideas regarding women’s roles and
status in society were transformed among Muslim communities in India.
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• In 1908, the Anjuman-e-Khawateen-e-Islam was founded in Lahore for

the promotion of the rights of women in Islam.
2. Rise of Anti-colonialism:
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• In 1915, the first All-India Muslim Ladies conference was attended by a

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few selected women from among the elite.

• In the First Roundtable Conference in 1930-31 a memorandum was
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presented by Jahanara Shahnawaz, demanding rights for all, irrespective

of religion, caste, creed or sex .
• The Government of India Act of 1935 enfranchised six million women and,
for the first time, reserved seats for women were allocated.
Pakistan Independence 1947:
• The first legislature of Pakistan had two women representatives,
 Jahanara Shahnawaz and Shaista Ikramullah.
• The Prime Minister’s wife, Ra’ana Liaquat Ali, was the most outstanding
woman who formed a large number of women’s organizations and
attended to many different areas that affect women, especially welfare
and legal reform.
• In 1948, she started the Women’s Voluntary Service (WVS) and in 1949
with their guidance in Karachi the All-Pakistan Women’s Association

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(APWA).

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Impact of Second Wave of Feminism (1960 to 1980):
Field Marshall Ayub Khan:
• In 1961, the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance (MFLO) was passed.

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• It gave women a few rights with regard to marriage, the custody of
children, divorce and registration of marriages and divorces.
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• It was passed as a result of APWA’s efforts
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto:
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• The 1973 Constitution gave more rights to women than in the past.
 ● Article 25 of rights declared that every citizen was equal before law.
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 ● Article 25 (2) said there would be no discrimination based on sex alone.

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 ● Article 27 of fundamental stated that there would be no discrimination

on the basis of race, religion, caste or sex for appointment in the service
of Pakistan.
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 ● Article 32 of the Basic Principles of State Policy guaranteed reservation

of seats for women,
 ● Article 35 stipulated that the state shall protect marriage, family and
mother and child
• The PPP set up a Women’s Wing under Nusrat Bhutto.
 • 5% seats for women in Provincial Assemblies and 10% in National
Assembly.
Impact of Third Wave of Feminism: (1980 -2012)
Zia-ul-Haq:
• Hudood Ordinance led to activism by women.
• In 1981, a group of women met in Shirkat Gah Karachi and formed the

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Women Action Forum (WAF).

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• In 1982 launched the Dopatta jalao movement in Lahore.
• In 1982 the Fehmida and Allah Bux case, filed under the Zina Ordinance
(one of the five Hudood Ordinances) motivated women to protect and

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preserve the few rights they had achieved in the two previous decades.
• The Zina Ordinance of 1979 conflated adultery with rape and erased the
distinction between them.
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• This law made it virtually impossible to prove rape and, upon failure to
prove it, the woman was transformed into the culprit while the rapist
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went scot-free.
Benazir Era:
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• During Benazir Bhutto’s two stints in government (1988-1990 and 1993-

1996) some women-friendly measures were taken such as the setting up
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of Women’s Studies Centers in various public sector universities.

• Furthermore, the First Women Bank was established.
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• Separate women’s police stations were set up.

• In 1995 Benazir Bhutto represented Pakistan at the Fourth World
Conference on Women in Beijing which led to Pakistan acceding to the
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against
Women (CEDAW).
Musharaff Era:
 • In the local government, female representation was a historic 33% while
17.5% seats were reserved for women in the provincial and national
assemblies.
• The National Commission on the Status of Women was constituted as a
statutory body in 2000.
• In 2002-2003, the Gender Reform Action Plan (GRAP) proposed a
coherent gender reform to enable governments to implement national and

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international promises on gender equality.

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In 2006, the Women Protection Act was passed and the crime of rape was
taken out for punishment
Zardari Era:

education. i c.
• In 2012, Malala Yousafzai was shot in Swat for claiming her right to

• Zardari Introduced Anti-Acid Attacks law and Protection of women from

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sexual harassment at the workplace Bill.
• Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy’s documentary on Acid victims was an impetus in
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introducing the law against Acid Attacks and her documentary “A Girl in
the river” on Honor killing helped close the lacuna in honor killing laws.
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• World Economic Forum’s report on Global Gender Gap highlighted four

key issues;
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• ● Violence

• ● Access to Education
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• ● Participation in Politics

• ● Availability of health facilities.

• ● Pakistan ranks 142/146 countries