The Women Democratic Front (WDF) is a socialist-feminist political protest organisation which is based in Pakistan. The WDF seeks to unite women in Pakistan and help them revolt to what they view as sexist and systematic oppression. It aims to do so by building a socialist-affiliated feminist movement strongly opposed to capitalism, patriarchy, religious fascism, and authoritarianism.
The WDF was created on International Women's Day in 2018 after a large number of students, working women, intellectuals and political activists gathered and participated in the Aurat Azadi March.
The WDF esteems that Pakistan is a country filled with systematic sexism — a form of oppression which they claim finds its roots in the country’s division genders and mass exploitation of the working class. The group consequently vows to continue its struggle until Pakistan emancipates women to the largest extent and until its government prioritises societal development.
The WDF — being a legitimate political protest organisation — has four national units. These units are located in Sindh, Balochistan, Punjab, and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa provinces. As a result, most of the women allied to the movement are from these regions. Interestingly, the WDF’s unit in the Kashmir region remains unrecognised due to the disputed nature of the territory. This has made it significantly more difficult for women in the region to protest for their emancipation.
Despite its radical stances and political views, the WDF is a peaceful protest organisation and has no record of violence or rioting. As stated in the Front’s manifesto, this willingness to remain peaceful during its protests comes from the group’s prioritisation of democracy and legitimate political action.
NOTE: This article will be updated soon.
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