While scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed recently, I came across a photograph of some Pakistani women enjoying a cup of tea at a local “dhaba."

The caption read #GirlsatDhabas. At first glance I found the image quite odd because dhabas – a Pakistani term used to refer to roadside cafés – are considered popular hangout spots for men. Seldom does one find a woman at a dhaba, and even if one does, she will be accompanied by a male.

After doing some research of my own I came to learn that Girls at Dhabas is a feminist movement founded by a group of young Pakistani women. The initiative aims to reclaim predominantly male social spaces and make them more inclusive for women. In a society where women are denied the basic privilege of walking freely on the streets and the use of public transport out of fear of being harassed and ogled at by the opposite gender, there is a much needed urgency to address this issue.

The campaign started to gain momentum after the founders uploaded an image of themselves at a dhaba onto Facebook and Tumblr. Soon afterwards, Girls at Dhabas began to receive submissions from all over Pakistan. It has inspired Pakistani women to be confident and wander into different public spaces such. More importantly, the movement is attempting to change society's definition of "normal." After a certain age females are often prohibited by their families to not play outside on the street or ride their bicycles "because it is not appropriate." Like men, women should also be guaranteed the liberty and safety to visit places of their choosing, regardless of whether those places are male-dominated or not.

Apart from it's prevailing presence on Pakistani social media, Girls at Dhabas has been an active member of the community. It recently arranged a number of public cricket matches for women so that they too could have the opportunity to play in a social setting.

Initiatives like Girls at Dhabas are necessary to alter society's attitudes towards women, especially in patriarchal societies such as Pakistan's. Hopefully people will realize the importance of such feminist movements and the need for society to alter its perceptions. As of now, Girls at Dhabas has more than 11,000 followers on Facebook. Make sure to check out their Instagram, Tumbler and Facebook (the links to each are provided below).

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girlsatdhabas/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/girlsatdhabas/?fref=ts

Tumblr: http://girlsatdhabas.tumblr.com