CCMW Montreal’s Fehmida Khan gives speech at South Asian Women’s Association’s memorial for Asma Jehangir
CCMW Montreal’s long term member and past president, Fehmida Khan, was asked to say a few words at the South Asian Women’s Association’s memorial for Asma Jehangir on March 4th, 2018. She made the following points:
“I started by saying how by luck & chance I was to have met Asma Jehangir earlier in her life when South Asian Women were in the fore defining what feminism, equality and justice meant to people from so called, “Third World” countries.
Asma Jehangir challenged rules, regulations and injustices towards the most disenfranchised section of society; women and children in her own country, Pakistan. She made tremendous progress, drawing international attention and was an inspiration to us. We, as women who were classified by Canadian Immigration as “sponsored”; “ethnic minority” – with a sub-division of “South Asian” and finally “Muslim” wore all these badges comfortably thanks to Asma Jehangir and moved ahead demanding equality in our own home ground Quebec, Canada.
Today we have heard testimonies of Asma Jehangir’s understanding and capability of dealing with rampant injustices to the most vulnerable in our society. We heard today that issues of human rights and injustices which seemed insurmountable to others, Asma Jehangir overcame with zeal and tenacity. An international humanitarian. Let us not just take solace in her legacy but continue to give a commitment to keep the legacy alive.”
