Being a woman is a challenge itself in the legal sector. My mother, herself a lawyer, motivated me to work toward what I wanted to do for myself rather than what the world wanted me to become. Passionate about litigation, I began my journey in 2016 by shadowing a senior associate and started going to the City Court. The first day in, I was stopped by a senior lawyer who had me standing in the scorching sun telling me how women should only know 'how to make gol rotis' and satisfy their husbands, court is not a place for women to be. This incident only gave me the power to continue. Everyday is an achievement for me and I am proud of each day I spend working. Specifically, those difficult days when nothing seems to go right but I push it to the end successfully. A beautiful memory I keep very close to my heart revolves around this project "Strengthening Child Protection Systems of Pakistan" (that I became part of) for a non-profit organization. I was visiting Azam Basti (a Hindu community in the slum area), I was there to talk about domestic violence and how it affects the entire family, not just the victim. Going around in the community, I was approached by these two beautiful teenage children who extended their hands holding a piece of candy each, and offered me to take it as a present. Their gesture was everything humankind should be since they themselves had no source of basic necessities and a piece of candy meant a luxury for them but they were willing to give it up just to make their guest happy. 

All in all, such challenges are a part of life. There is good and bad out there, you need to place yourself accordingly. Forgive and forget in order to continue your journey and so I did. It is necessary to address or highlight these issues but what is more important is to work on yourself quietly and walk away from anything or everything that disturbs even an ounce of your mental peace. Lastly, never be afraid to speak up against any violence, harassment, or unfairness!