In an interview with Hareem Ahmed of UN NewsMs. Mazari shared her extraordinary journey of resilience and determination, her refusal to allow her disability to define her, and her vision for a truly inclusive society.
Muniba Mazari: I have learned that if you have the courage to face challenges head-on and if you are persistent and constantly try to make a difference for yourself and the people around you, barriers become bridges and adversities become opportunities.
My appointment as an SDG advocate is a great honor because, as a woman who has been in a wheelchair for the last 17 years, I know exactly what it feels like to be discriminated against, underestimated, questioned and then told you are not good enough.
I have realized that if you have a passion for doing things, people open doors for you and accept you with your value and your passion. I have always done this and will continue to be the voice for those who are left behind, not because they do not have a voice, but because they do not have the right platform to say what they have to say.
People with disabilities around the world face these problems and prejudices. They are often left behind. They are often neither seen nor heard, whether in classrooms, workplaces, in leadership roles and, sadly, even in homes. As an advocate for the SDGs, it is my responsibility to represent them.
UN News: You have said that inclusion is a basic human right, not charity. What does a truly inclusive society look like to you and what barriers still need to be removed?
Muniba Mazari: Many people think that inclusion means sympathy for people with different abilities. We need to understand that an inclusive society must have an inclusive mentality and free of prejudices, labels and judgments. An inclusive society is impossible if we judge people by their appearance. For me, inclusion is about accepting people for who they are and what they believe in, respecting them and ensuring that no one feels abandoned.
Ideally, an inclusive society would be one where people are not labeled simply because they are different and unique, and a place where everyone feels seen, heard and welcomed. I hope that one day we can achieve this dream.
UN News: You have emphasized the importance of male allies in the fight for gender equality. What kind of support do you think men can offer?
Muniba Mazari Men cannot succeed without women and women cannot succeed without men. We can’t fight among ourselves. We have to fight for each other and work together as a team.
My son knows his mother doesn’t cook, but she works all day and is passionate about her job, which has helped many people along the way. If we really want to see a difference, we have to raise our children in an inclusive environment.
When we talk about granting rights to women, it is as if we are asking men to grant us their rights so that we can prosper. It is not the case. We are not taking away rights from men to give them to women. The problem is that men do not have to demand their basic rights. We just want men to support us, unlearn a lot of things they’ve been taught and relearn and understand that men and women have to work together to grow and excel.
Young children and a man using crutches walk through the flooded streets of Nowshera Kalan, one of the worst affected areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan.
UN News: How are art and storytelling used as a tool for social change?
Muniba Mazari: Creative expression is so important, especially when there is so much sadness, darkness and pain everywhere. Art has the power to heal and transform people, and this is the best way to connect with people on a deeper human level.
In my personal journey, art has been my savior, a safe space where I can be myself and express what I am going through. We need more artists in the world because we need more healing.
UN News: What are the biggest challenges to achieving gender equality in Pakistan today and how can we overcome them?
Muniba Mazari: We need to raise our children equally. Prejudices are so deeply ingrained that we don’t even consider them prejudices. Cooking and cleaning are basic life skills, not gender roles, but if a man does laundry, people laugh at him. My brother does it at my house, at my house. He cooks when he wants. I don’t cook because I don’t feel like it. For my son it is totally normal.
We have done an incredible job raising strong girls and we know how to find a way and how to take initiative. But what about the boys who don’t know what to do when they see a woman thriving? They feel intimidated, they feel threatened.
I think it’s important for us to raise strong men. My definition of a strong man is very simple: he is a man who does not feel intimidated when he sees a girl or woman thriving and excelling in her career.
A healthcare worker performs blood pressure tests in rural India.
UN News: What are the most pressing gaps you see in the rights and accessibility of people with disabilities?
Muniba Mazari: Lack of acceptability and lack of accessibility.
I remember when I started my journey as an artist, as a TV presenter, I was told, ‘you are a woman in a wheelchair in Pakistan and things will be difficult.’ You will be the first to do all this. And I remember saying: I may be the first, but I won’t be the last, because what I’m doing now is creating a path for many people who will come after me.
I have seen changes in mentality; It has been a long road and there is still a long way to go, but let’s start by accepting people for who they are and giving them the right to go out and live life to the fullest.