As the International Women's Day came and went, I marked the day with a post on my Instagram feed. But as I followed the hastag with post from women all over the world, smiling with family members, friends, colleagues etc marking the day, a thought occurred to me. This day it is not just about celebrating ourselves as women, but to highlight both how far we have come and how far we are to go, and to honor those who came before us and opened the doors to the life and choices we enjoy today.
Yes, I am lucky. Like most of the women that posted on Social Media on the day, we get to live in a country, while it may not be perfect, that allows us, as a woman, to choose our own path, a career, freedom of expression without any retaliation, a partner of our choosing; whether is a heterosexual or homosexual.... to become whatever we put our minds to, from our own boss, entrepreneurs, doctors, engineers, athletes etc to Primer Minister if so we wish; our dreams, vision, perseverance, hard work and dedication is the only limits.
I am lucky that my parents raised me to believe, as a woman, I deserve more than it was the norm when they were young. My mother instilled in us the strong believe that if you have financial freedom, without the need to depend on man or any other person, you were independent to live life on your own terms. That has stayed with me throughout all my adulthood. I am lucky that I have a partner that believes in me, supports me and forever wants to see me thrive, soar and achieve anything I put my mind to. Who loves and appreciate strong women and has never felt intimidate by my success.
But what this day is truly about is to highlight that, while we have achieve so much in over 100 years since the suffragettes demanded the right to vote for women, on a worldwide level, we are still far, very far from equality. Many girls still do not have access or the right to basic education or to earn their own money, key elements to their own freedom and equality. Where we still earn less than our male counterpart for the same work and hours. Where women are traded as if any other goods. They have no freedom over their choices as they legally belong to a male relative. Women are abused, repressed, raped, suffering from domestic violence and dying at the hands of their partners. Where sexual harassment is still far too common. Where women are discriminated based on their race and those on the fringes of society don't even count or feel represented. To me this day is to highlight these discrepancies and to keep on pushing and demanding better, not only of our leaders and those in charge of policy making but of society as a whole. To demand real solutions for ourselves and those suffering unimaginable horrors, to put an end to human violations or discrimination just on the basis on their gender ; for all women to finally be heard instead of drawning their voices.