BY ANISHA SATYA, STAFF REPORTER
Day three of the Summit was well underway, and it was to talk about women. Aanya Khan and Fajr Khan (not related) decided to take charge and begin levelling the playing field for girls in their country, Pakistan.
The two co-founded Girl Up Pakistan, a faction of the United Nation’s “Girl Up” campaign. As put by Fajr, the organisation aims to “empower women, and advocate for gender equality”. They run collaborative initiatives with non-profits, including MUN Impact, and operate in their community, lending a hand in psychiatric wards and trauma centres. Their focus lies on SDG 5: “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.”
Girl Up recognises the injustices women face in Pakistan. Aanya explains that it is normal for girls in South Asia to not play sports. “There’s this culture that if a girl is on her period, she cannot go out and play sport.”
“This happened at my old school, which I thought was completely ridiculous” she says. After dealing with systemic sexism in their schools and community, both girls decided to take matters into their own hands, one act of kindness at a time.
Pakistan’s culture is one of many around the world where we find the repression and subjugation of females. As the girls point out over the call, women are disproportionately affected by climate change.
I’ll be honest. It was a bold statement, and when I heard them say it I raised my eyebrows. There was no way that was possible, right?
Wrong.
Over the session, Aanya and Fajr showed how women in developing nations like through Central Africa and Asia were left to fill a role as caretakers. They did not receive an education – forget academics, basic skills like swimming! – nor a salary, nor the protection of a stable house. This meant women were more often displaced, and killed, in extreme weather events.
As the session went on, it became clear how women were disproportionately affected by climate change.
When you realise the scale of the issue, it seems unfixable. It certainly would’ve felt that way to Aanya and Fajr at times.
But it is fixable. We can raise up girls and women. If might begin with sharing stationary, part of your meal, something small. Aanya and Fajr recommend volunteering in your community. “Advocating at a local scale is a great first step” Fajr says.
“Joining organisations like Girl Up” is also the go from Aanya. “It gives you a broader insight into [issues like these].”
So, there you are. Women are at a disadvantage across the board, in countries of all levels of development. But what may feel like a small gesture in the grand scheme of things could change or safe a life. Girl Up Pakistan has a slogan. It reads “When girls rise, we all rise”.
One girl at a time, we can change things!