The world marked International Women’s Day on March 8, under the theme of “For ALL Women and Girls: Accelerate Progress. Rights. Equality.” The global conversation focused on progress and equality.
In Pakistan’s Balochistan province, a large number of women, primarily mothers and children spent March 8 protesting on a major highway during a fasting day in the city of Mastung, 50 kilometers from provincial capital Quetta. Yet while the protest occurred on International Women’s Day, few of the women gave any special significance to the date. Instead, they were demanding the safe recovery of loved ones forcibly disappeared by security forces.
Balochistan, a region embroiled in conflict since the turn of the century, is no stranger to violence, much of it perpetrated by the state itself. Thousands of young Baloch men have been forcibly disappeared or killed, leaving their families in constant anguish. Against this backdrop Baloch women, despite hailing from a deeply conservative, tribal, and patriarchal society, have emerged as face of a vibrant and unique human rights struggle. Peaceful yet defiant protests, marches, and highway blockages have become a regular occurrence, as mothers, sisters, and daughters demand justice for their loved ones.
Yet, in a society that marginalizes them, these women have few avenues to voice their grievances. The police often refuse to register cases, civil society in Pakistan stands indifferent, and feminist movements in the country such as the well-known Aurat March rarely acknowledge the unique struggles of Baloch women. In this context, the Baloch Yekjehti Committee (BYC), the leading civil rights movement in Balochistan, stands apart from mainstream feminist movements in Pakistan.
The prevailing narrative around the Balochistan conflict is that it’s a political confrontation between the state and Baloch nationalists, a perspective that often undermines the grave gendered violence and human rights violations women in Balochistan face. With little to no media attention from national outlets, these women are forced to take drastic measures, such as by blocking roads to disrupt traffic and exert pressure on local authorities. For them, this is not just about making noise; it’s a desperate act of survival.
While the men are the direct victims of the state violence – those who are disappeared, tortured, or killed – it is the women who suffer the ongoing consequences of these actions.
In Balochistan, the ongoing conflict has given rise to a painful and disturbing identity among women and children, one that is born out of the trauma of enforced disappearances. These women, often referred to as “half-widows,” are those whose husbands have been forcibly disappeared by state authorities but are not officially declared dead. Likewise, the term “half-orphaned” is used to describe children who live in a state of uncertainty, never knowing if their fathers are alive or dead.
These women must navigate a life of uncertainty, where their husbands, fathers, and sons may be lost forever, yet the state offers no closure, no recognition, and no justice. Left with the responsibility of raising their children, providing for their families, and continuing to live under the shadow of loss, these women are forced to assume roles far beyond the traditional expectations placed upon them in this deeply patriarchal society. These surviving Baloch women play a dual role: they are not only mothers, but also fathers and guardians, carrying the weight of both nurturing and protecting their families in a male-dominated society amid lack of opportunities for women.
In addition to their duties as mothers and caregivers, these women have the extra responsibility to fight for the release of their missing loved ones. This is why they are at the forefront of protests, traveling to from city to city, visiting police stations and courtrooms in search of answers. They appear in rallies, block roads, and demand justice in the face of the state’s lack of response. While their actions go largely unnoticed by the international community and Pakistan’s civil society, their fights speak volumes. They have become the backbone of the Baloch resistance, carrying the weight of their community’s struggle on their shoulders, often risking their own safety in the process.
The term “half-widow” or “half-orphan” is not just a label; it reflects the harsh reality of Baloch women’s lives. They live in a perpetual state of grief and uncertainty, never knowing if their loved ones will return or if they will remain lost forever in the hands of the state. The normal process of mourning and grief is impossible under these circumstances. But despite the emotional and physical toll, these women continue to resist. They are not passive victims; they are active participants in a fight for justice, for survival, and for the right to exist without the constant fear of losing their loved ones to the state’s violence.
Their struggles are not only about demanding the return of the disappeared but about the right to live with dignity, free from the fear and trauma that has become a part of their daily existence. These women are reshaping the landscape of resistance in Balochistan by challenging not only the violence of the state, but the deeply entrenched patriarchal norms that seek to silence their voices and deny them their rights.
In Balochistan, the fight for survival is intertwined with the fight for justice, and it is the Baloch women who are carrying this fight forward. They are the heart of the resistance against enforced disappearances. Until their voices are heard, and their struggles recognized, the fight for justice in Balochistan will remain incomplete.
What often goes unnoticed is the centrality of Baloch women in the political discourse of the region. They are far from passive victims. These women actively resist the occupation, challenging the state’s narrative and demanding accountability for the violence perpetrated against their families. Yet their contributions remain largely invisible to famous feminist movements in Pakistan and South Asia. The Balochistan conflict is largely overshadowed by global crises, from Kashmir to Afghanistan to Iran’s political instability. Meanwhile, the suffering of the Baloch people remains ignored.
Despite this, the resistance of Baloch women both in the domestic sphere and on the streets serves as a powerful testament to their strength. Baloch women are not merely fighting for equality; they are fighting for survival. In a society where women are dependent on men for their survival, the abduction and killing of their sons, brothers, fathers, and husbands is a existential crisis.
While much of the world’s feminist movements focus on empowerment and gender equality, in Balochistan, the struggle is far more basic: the right to exist. These women are fighting for survival in a place where basic human rights are routinely violated. They struggle for the fundamental right to live without fear. Only when the basic foundation of survival and dignity is achieved can the dreams of equality and empowerment begin to take root.
In a world that celebrates progress and equality, let us not forget that in places like Balochistan, survival with honor itself is a crime. It is very important to understand that the Baloch women are leading a movement not only to oppose state oppression but to fight for their very existence.
