Friday, March 29, 2024
Home Women Business News On International Women’s Day 2021 Women #ChooseToChallenge

On International Women’s Day 2021 Women #ChooseToChallenge


This year’s International Women’s Day theme, Choose To Challenge, calls for women worldwide to challenge the status quo and stand up for an equitable world.

It was 100 years ago when Clara Zetkin established the International Women’s Day on March 8 (voted in 1910 by the women’s movement). During the 1975 International Year of Women, the U.N. celebrated the International Women’s Day (IWD), and in 1977 designated March 8th as the official Day for the Women’s Rights and International Peace.

With nearly a year after Covid-19 pandemic further exacerbated women’s safety and security, women from across the world share their thoughts on what IWD means for them, how they celebrate the day, and what they demand.

“On this centenary, we, women from different corners of the world, demand actions not symbolic proclamations from world leaders. We appeal to the UN Secretary General, OSCE Secretary General, NATO Secretary General, Council of Europe Secretary General and heads of multilateral organizations to address stakeholders and member states to, in the spirit of the Women Peace and Security Agenda/WPS, to:

  • Recognize the women’s critical role in peace-building, for risking their lives across the world’s conflict zones, in promoting and defending world peace and upholding democratic rule of law, and justice for all.  
  • Release from prisons, women prisoners of war, human rights activists, and journalists whose only crime is upholding peace, justice for all, and democratic rule of law by holding governments accountable.  
  • Invest true efforts to enhance the implementation of UNSC Resolution 1325 to help secure women’s participation in all peace negotiations to ensure sustainable peace.

Perhaps only then, women of the world can truly begin to celebrate the International Women’s Day in its full meaning of empowerment,” the appeal, initiated by Gulnara Shahinian–Founder of Democracy Today NGO, Armenia – and Heidi Meinzolt–Board member for Europe, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), Germany–has been signed by hundreds of women human rights defenders worldwide.

“In high school, I recall discussing International Women’s Day, but can’t remember any celebrations. There were posters in hallways describing the achievements of amazing women who were the ‘firsts’ to do something. Amelia Earhart was my favorite to write about because of her rebellious nature and trust in herself to do what others said she couldn’t. I wanted to be like her and I have the opportunity to do just that with The Parasol Cooperative. However, it isn’t Amelia who inspires me daily to learn and grow, it’s my Mom–a high school dropout who spoke broken English, returned to school and became a medical assistant in her mid-40s. Her positivity, persistence, ability to ask for help and belief that she could, even when she didn’t understand the language, stuck with me, helping me through many tough times personally and professionally. So, for IWD I choose to celebrate my Mom. As leaders we should celebrate all the women in our lives by supporting them with actions of inclusion, and by creating a safe space to grow and thrive,” says Megs Shah, an Indian immigrant living in the U.S.–a mom, speaker, mentor, and Co-Founder/CEO of The Parasol Cooperative

“For me, all days belong to women, as there are reasons for women to celebrate every single day of the year. I usually receive congratulatory messages from male friends sympathetic to my lifelong struggle for equality and justice. In the past on Marth 8th with my feminist colleagues and friends we intensified our activities: In 2000 we launched the first ever campaign against honor crimes–Kurdish Women’s Action Against Honor Killing. We organized conferences, cultural events with poetry, theatre, art exhibits, dancing, etc. In the Kurdish culture, March carries a strong symbolism, historically coinciding with popular uprising, the struggle for freedom, resisting state dictatorship and commemorating the Anfal genocide. In our calendar, March is the first month of the year–Khaka Lêwa means “the earth’s lips”–the lips open up with spring flowers and smile at us. For me, this symbolises women’s resistance against oppression, calling for equal rights, fair pay, better working conditions, voting and participation, and an end to violence. It’s followed by our New Year–Newroz–or “new day.” Let this be a new day for all humanity in these challenging times,” says exiled Kurdish poet and academic, Dr. Nazand Begikhani–Vincent Wright Chair & Visiting Professor, Sciences Po, in Paris, France.

“Being the daughter of an amazing woman who has an incredible presence, launching schools and supporting an entire community in Bangladesh, I have tremendous gratitude for an upbringing that fostered philanthropy. Since 10th grade, I have volunteered to support young women in the Dhaka slums. As a single mother of 3 daughters, a Muslim, and a woman of color, IWD for me is an acknowledgment of what a woman can achieve if not bound by prejudice. My grandmother, Professor Roushan Ara Rahman, the founder of Bangladesh Inner Wheel and Project Five-O–is another reason my family can bridge gender gaps. During IWD we take part in celebrating the achievements of women concerning domestic violence, underaged marriages, teen-pregnancies, retention of female students in schools, menstruation hygiene, and more. Inspired by my family, I work with domestic violence victims through The Parasol Cooperative and lead food assistance and rehabilitation work through the Bidyanondo Foundation. As women we oversee deep-rooted concerns starting from the family unit–if leaders provide access to an equal presence in decision making from the grassroots to the top, together a better future can be nurtured,” says Bangladeshi immigrant living in the U.S., Fairuz Ahmed–Co-Founder of The Parasol Cooperative, and Operations Manager, America’s, of Bidyanondo Foundation Inc.

“The International Women’s day celebrates women for our enormous and often unpaid contribution to building of a strong, vibrant, healthy and prosperous world as evident in our socio-cultural, political and economic contributions. In the healthcare and care sector, more women continue to be at the frontline, and bear the brunt of COVID-19 across the world. As a healthcare professional running a healthcare organization with 90% female workforce, it is important to affirm the dignity of their labor. On IWD we don’t just pay lip service; we ensure our actions tell our female workforce we appreciate their efforts in an economically tangible way. Every March, we review our remuneration package and support policies to reflect the ethos of gender parity and equity. There is no better way to tell a woman she’s valued than to ensure she gets equal pay for the service she provides like any other gender–and an equitable work environment that honors her unique contribution to humanity in choosing to birth and nurture the next generation,” says Opeoluwa Ashimi–Founder/CEO of M’Care, Nigeria.

“It’s rare that there is a day to honor all the women in the world at the same time–there are so many factors that separate us, from age to class to race to assigned sex at birth to location. More often than not, women are positioned on opposing sides of a battle. Or women feel that, in order to be the best, we must align ourselves with successful men. To me, IWD represents a crucial space where we as women are able to shed our differences and just be WOMEN. It’s a day that I can clearly see the beauty in womanhood–the strength, resilience, and power. It’s a day I feel especially proud to be a part of an inspiring lineage of women,” says U.S. based Anais DerSimonian–Director of Youth Engagement and Communications for The Yellow Tulip Project.

“Today and every day the world should honor, recognize and support the contributions of women community leaders who provide life-saving support to millions of people caught in crises in some of the world’s most dangerous places. Women are first responders and key actors in humanitarian responses, mediation, and security, but they lack access to decision-making processes, coordination mechanisms, and funding streams of international responses. This is the time for world leaders, countries and communities to stand together to end violence, and promote safer communities by ending the exclusion and marginalization of women and girls. But we need immediate actions. Women must have the opportunity to play an active role in shaping the pivotal decisions being made right now– choices that will affect humanity for generations to come. On IWD, I honor the women who have inspired us, motivated us or improved our lives,” says Muna Luqman–Chairwoman, Food4Humanity, Yemen.

“I’ve learned the best way to honor myself and other women is by building networks. By fostering strong communities, we can show compassion for others, call out injustices when we see them, and approach challenges from a sense of resourcefulness, community, and problem-solving. Last November, as Hurricanes Eta and Iota barrelled toward Nicaragua, MADRE’s partner organization, Wangki Tangni (Child of the River in local Miskito language), used their women-led radio station to broadcast information to help evacuate nearly 4,000 people to safety. Wangki Tangni founder, Indigenous community leader, Rose Cunningham would travel up and down the river when a hurricane approached—in a little canoe—to alert communities about the storm, doing whatever it took to look out for her community. With MADRE’s support, Wangki Tangni has not only developed the radio station as an early warning system for hurricanes, they’ve made sure people have emergency supplies like flashlights, food, water, and hygiene kits. To me, women like Rose must be celebrated on the global stage–they teach us how to lead and create a world where everyone thrives, by taking care of each other and building ties of love and resilience,” says U.S.-based Yifat Susskind–Executive Director of MADRE.

“To be recognized as an equal citizen within different contexts, whether in formal or informal spaces, is what IWD can be considered and celebrated for. Each year we look at indicators and progress along Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), UNSDG 5-gender equality, and operationalization of UNSCR 1325 NAPs; impacts of the proliferation and misuse of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) and Gender Based Violence (GBV) context. Yet, real life remains at the grassroots. My greatest reward and reward of women and men alike, is localizing these international agendas, considering the human, local face of these challenges, and the demands of local women with a human security approach, with dignity at its heart,” says Shirine Jurdi, executive member WILPF, Lebanon Section and the International Board MENA Regional Representative, is a Stop Killer Robots Campaign Team Leader in Lebanon.



Source link

- Advertisement -

Must Read

Related News

- Supported by -