Every year 15th of October is celebrated as international rural women day globally. The aim of marking the day is to realize the role of rural women in country’s agricultural and rural development and it is a day to pay tribute to the amazing rural women of our time. If we search in the pages of history, we will come across many rural women who worked for the betterment of rural areas. Malala Yousufzai, who is an alive example from a rural area, 

is an educational activist and the youngest Nobel Prize winner, symbolising Pakistani women’s fight for education. And we the Pakistanis can celebrate this day proudly. I am a feminist but it does not mean I hate men. It means I believe in equality because I believe in social change in society, equality and making society and the world a more equal place. Women from rural areas should use their power because they can do anything and nothing is impossible for them. It will not be until rural women use their power and fully participate in society to push agendas of change. A great number of women and girls in our country especially in rural areas are the victims of honour killing and early marriage all because of Jirga system and I do believe that this cruel culture can come to an end in our society and women can help the cause by simply standing up for themselves. Let us celebrate the day with full encouragement and show every individual that we also have the power to change the world. 

AMBER ASHRAF,  

Turbat, October 14.