She’s everything even when she is treated like nothing- R H Sin.
One positive change the world has seen lately is dedicating a day for women, known across the globe as International women’s day. This is a day for women where their achievements are acknowledged and celebrated.
The precarious past
Women have been exploited and subdued by patriarchy across countries for many centuries. Relegated to the stature of nameless second citizens, women have always been taken for granted. No wonder women did not even have the right to vote up until recent years. Many movements and struggles were undertaken to secure the right for them to express their political opinion.
It was as if men could not stand women who had opinions. Endless battles were fought by women to be able to wear what they want to wear, to be able to learn as much as they want to learn, to be able to speak their heart out. If the warriors of women’s rights weren’t there to recognize the need to demand the ‘basic rights’,women still would have been asking permissions to eat, drink and breathe.
To survive the charter of conduct unwritten but still enforced on all women, is in itself an impossible feat. Women are denied even a right over their bodies. This judgmental society hascoerced women to look and behave a certain way for decades. Isn’t the debate of legalizing or not legalizing abortion an outrageous attempt to take away the control women have over their bodies. The small feet trend from China, the dowry and burqa trend in certain countries, the unequal pay, the oppressive rape laws even the derogatory abuse hurled at women when men fight are all enough to show what respect the cultures give to women.
Suppressed yet UP
Yet here they are expressing themselves, leaving the world astounded at the heights that empowered womencan achieve. At the forefront, leading the world into the untouched realms of knowledge and possibility, women have equally borne the yoke of responsibilities of this world. Women are the finesse this world so desperately exploited but refused to recognize. Until a day was selected by the socialistparty of America on 28 February 1909, to be celebrated as a women’s day. Then it was on 8th March1917, in Soviet Russia, when women finally got the right to vote that the day was sealed as the international women’s day. The concept soon found acceptance and was celebrated in many ways across countries as a day to recognize the hardships women face in their day to day life. The international women’s day thusrecognizes the role of women as the foundation of this society and honoursthe struggles they have facedto secure their place in this biased world.
For a brighter future
The international women’s day is the right time to ponder over the journey undertaken in women empowerment so far and to reflect upon the progress made. It’s a day to reflect upon the problems still looming and the solutions to counter these problems. A day to acknowledge the small personal battles women face each day and to honourthe winners in all fields. Not only we should felicitate such women who broke the glass ceiling of oppression but, also have their journey shared with one and all. This should be done to ensure that the fire that shaped their success can kindle the flame in the hearts of others who want to overcome the adversities faced by them.
Women should be inspired to be more vocal abouttheir problems. To be strong and to stand up to the age-oldnorms suffocating the life out of their dreams. Women should be empowered with education, finance, ideas and everything that might help them break the shackles of oppression.
The international women’s day should give such message and inspiration to the neglected half of this world. Let this day and all the days in the year be taken by us all as an opportunity to change the mindset and to be the change we want to see in this world. Let us all help tilt the balance of power in favourof the equally deserving women.
It’s time we recognize that the humanrace needs women not only to birth it, but to bring it to life, and to keep that lifebloodflowing in its veins. We cannot prosper when a majority of us are suffering. What would this world be like without the loving touch of a mother, the silly mischief of sisters, the loving embrace of wives and the everlasting love of daughters? The international women’s day is to celebrate all of this and remind us what needs to be done to ensure, that the future of every girl is safe, successful and rewarding.
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