Women's Rights Movement in the US: Inspirational Frame of Empowerment for Tribal Women in the Newly Merged Tribal Districts (Former FATA)

Abstract

The first, second, third, and fourth waves of feminism that paved the way for women’s social, political, and economic rights in the developed world, have also made significant impact in the developing world, including urban Pakistan. Although “feminism” and women’s rights continue to be contentious issues in a country like Pakistan, Pakistani feminists, nevertheless, have three decades of political activism and academic contribution to their credit. Ironically, however, in the debates on women's empowerment especially in the 1980s and 1990s and the political activism that followed, tribal women remained absent. This lack of engagement by Pakistani feminists contributed to the neglect of tribal women’s rights in Pakistan. However, in the post-2001 scenario, the conflict and chaos forced many educated tribal women to take part in human rights movements. These women also took inspiration from other women's movements around the world over the past few decades. This paper attempts to revisit Women’s Liberation Movement of the 1960s and 1970s in the United States that sought equal rights, opportunities, and greater personal freedom for women. Recognized as part of the second wave of feminism, Women’s Liberation Movement, this paper argues, has parallels with the challenges that women face in the Newly Merged Tribal Districts (former FATA) today and can serve as a framework to draw upon in the conception of women’s rights and empowerment in the tribal region.