Day in and out all she has known is work. In a society where men virtually dictate everything, Aqsa represents thousands of young women with little hope to find a better life. The term “better life” does not mean the same that you and I would think. To a Pakistani woman, a better life is to bear children and more specifically bear sons. Though medically it’s entirely out of their control, Pakistani women are subjected to harsh treatment and abuse if they fail to produce sons.

Another ill tradition in Pakistan that devalues women is the curse of dowry which has made the lives of parents of the bride a living hell. They work their whole lives and even in many cases sell themselves to a rich landlord in order to pay for their daughter’s (or daughters’) dowry, yet with no assurance that her husband will be kind to her if she fail to bear sons.

Being considered as a burden from her birth, Aqsa’s parents had to think about her wedding on the day that she was born. What made the matter worse, Aqsa was a slave by birth. Her parents and their parents were enslaved as brick kiln workers for generations. Her mother died because her father was not able to pay for her treatment when she was fatally injured in an accident at the brick kiln where a block of stacked bricks fell on her.  After her death Aqsa’s father looked after her to his best ability. Nevertheless, she started making bricks at the age of five.

As she grew her father’s worries grew too because many times she was alone at home. There have been numerous incidents of sexual harassment and rape at the brick kiln. “A virgin, poor, helpless, Christian girl will not stand the chance against corrupt and powerful brick kiln’s owners and their goons,” one of the neighbors said.