Killjoys in Swat
Editorial
Editorial
DAWN
Published October 3, 2023
IN yet another blow to women’s rights in Pakistan, a group of young, spirited girls seeking to participate in a Sunday cricket match in Swat’s Charbagh town were robbed of the opportunity. The hopes of the 12-year-old organiser were dashed when the girls were sent away by angry men, telling them playing in an open ground would be ‘immodest’. How can playing a sport, a celebration of one’s talents, be seen as a mark against one’s modesty? The tehsil chairman cited ‘unstable security conditions’. After outrage ensued on the media, the local government promised a match ‘in a week or two’.
What a shame that where Malala’s fight for the rights of young girls was born, such events continue to transpire. While age-old prejudices might have had a hand in the obstruction of an innocent game, such biases have no place in contemporary Pakistan. Our nation has seen the ascent of women in all spheres, including sports, proving that skill knows no gender. The stifling of these young girls’ dreams is another reminder that the fight against extremism goes beyond kinetic action: it requires dealing with a regressive mindset. When the girls were denied permission to play, they were denied the simple joys and life lessons that sports offer, such as teamwork, perseverance and discipline. Addressing the issue requires a multifaceted approach. Community awareness programmes, promotion of female role models, the start of a dialogue with religious leaders, the creation of safe spaces for women, and introduction of sports into school curricula will all go a long way in changing deeply ingrained beliefs. It is also important to engage men and boys to stand up for the rights of their sisters, daughters and friends. Our country’s future lies in the empowerment of its youth, regardless of gender. The valleys of Swat should echo with the sound of the bat striking the ball, and with cheers, not with the silence of dreams deferred.
Published in Dawn, October 3rd, 2023
IN yet another blow to women’s rights in Pakistan, a group of young, spirited girls seeking to participate in a Sunday cricket match in Swat’s Charbagh town were robbed of the opportunity. The hopes of the 12-year-old organiser were dashed when the girls were sent away by angry men, telling them playing in an open ground would be ‘immodest’. How can playing a sport, a celebration of one’s talents, be seen as a mark against one’s modesty? The tehsil chairman cited ‘unstable security conditions’. After outrage ensued on the media, the local government promised a match ‘in a week or two’.
What a shame that where Malala’s fight for the rights of young girls was born, such events continue to transpire. While age-old prejudices might have had a hand in the obstruction of an innocent game, such biases have no place in contemporary Pakistan. Our nation has seen the ascent of women in all spheres, including sports, proving that skill knows no gender. The stifling of these young girls’ dreams is another reminder that the fight against extremism goes beyond kinetic action: it requires dealing with a regressive mindset. When the girls were denied permission to play, they were denied the simple joys and life lessons that sports offer, such as teamwork, perseverance and discipline. Addressing the issue requires a multifaceted approach. Community awareness programmes, promotion of female role models, the start of a dialogue with religious leaders, the creation of safe spaces for women, and introduction of sports into school curricula will all go a long way in changing deeply ingrained beliefs. It is also important to engage men and boys to stand up for the rights of their sisters, daughters and friends. Our country’s future lies in the empowerment of its youth, regardless of gender. The valleys of Swat should echo with the sound of the bat striking the ball, and with cheers, not with the silence of dreams deferred.
Published in Dawn, October 3rd, 2023
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