SHEROES…

We the women, 

We who were nothing 

and had nothing 

and have become everything 

and have everything, 

shall construct a better world.

The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day #EachforEqual got me curious about the origin of this day so I did a little research and this is what I found out (you may be interested too)… International Women’s Day traces back to the year 1908, when 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding voting rights, better pay and shorter working hours. A year later, the first National Woman’s Day was observed in the US on February 28, in accordance with a declaration by the Socialist Party of America.

In 1910, Clara Zetkin the then leader of the ‘women’s office’ for the Social Democratic Party in Germany suggested the idea of an International Women’s Day (IWD). She made this suggestion so that every country would celebrate women on the same day every year to push for their demands.

In 1913, the day was transferred to March 8, and it has been celebrated on that day ever since. The day was only recognised by the United Nations in 1975, but ever since it has created a theme each year for the celebration. In 2011, former US President Barack Obama proclaimed March to be ‘Women’s History Month’.

This day is still celebrated because of its importance. Yet the original aim of achieving full gender equality for women the world over is still not realised. A gender pay gap persists across the globe and women are still not present in equal numbers in business or politics. Data show that globally, women’s education, health and violence towards women is still worse than that of men. On IWD, a lot of activities are carried out including discussions (on tv, radio and newspapers) on issues of women, street carnivals to commemorate and create public awareness among many others.

It is also an opportunity for women to encourage one another, share experiences, learn from those experience and forge forward together for a better future. It is also an opportunity and remind their male counterparts that women are not competing with them, but rather women are their partners. Gender parity in our political, cultural, economic, health and social spheres can only be achieved through collective action.

It is however sad to note that a lot of women in rural communities are not aware of this day and may never be, even if they are aware, it does not mean anything to them. They are more interested in engaging in activities that will put food on their table directly – they day-to-day economic activities. 

Maybe we should focus more on the rural woman more, because even if the urban women understand and achieve equality for all and the rural women is left out, then we have not achieved anything. We will however say we have achieved a lot if we are able to make even one rural woman realize and observe IWD. Let us tailor our activities to include these heroines and open more opportunities for them. 

To all the women and men who have knowledge about women empowerment, don’t wait for anybody to come from anywhere to carry out activities, take the initiative and plan something. Mobilize the women around you and educate them on IWD, teach them something new and encourage them to keep doing the little things they do to contribute their quota to the development of their communities. Sing, clap, dance, jump and have fun together, just do something fun, something different from their daily routine and it may just be the best they have ever had. You could also join a march, rally, promote gender diversity at workplace, church, home, exchange gender roles at home or at work, read a book by a woman, watch a women fight for empowerment movie, attend a women networking event near you, or display the colours of women (internationally, purple is recognized as the colour of women. A combination of green, purple and white represent women equality according to IWD.) to celebrate them.

And before this day ends, don’t forget to join the celebration on social media with your hands out picture and include the #EachforEqual hash tag, don’t worry if you are not able to do it today, the campaign is running all year round. As we celebrate this important day of women, let us (women and men) bear in mind that women are not in a competition with men, rather women see men as their partners in development. The equality that women seek cannot be achieved if they rival men, it will rather work better if women play their roles, support each other and ask for help from their male counterparts when the need be.

Every SHE is a hero today, tomorrow and forever. let us celebrate them specially today for the SHEROES that they are. the day does not end today, let us keep on with the fight for equality for all, whether male or female. CHEERS!!!