Laura Gonzalez / Roundup
International Women’s Day (IWD) is upon us and while women don’t need a day to celebrate the existence of their gender, that is hardly what this day means.
If it is true that it is a day to celebrate women’s achievements, it is also a day to create awareness.
There are so many women’s issues to address in the world that we wouldn’t need a day but maybe an entire year to discuss them.
Even though in the past century there were many accomplishments made by individuals from both genders to get women gender equality, there is still a long way to go in combating some of the other issues—violence and abuse being the most important ones, which is why this year’s theme is “women and men united to end violence against women and girls.”
According to the United Nations Web site, around the world, as many as one in every three women has been beaten, coerced into sex, or abused in some other way, most often by someone she knows, including by her husband or another male family member; one woman in four has been abused during pregnancy.
We would think that in an era where technology has advanced so much that phones are utilized for everything except making phone calls, people have advanced along with as well. Clearly, that’s not the case.
It is wrong to think that because it doesn’t affect us personally that it doesn’t affect us at all. In order for us to rise above as a society we need to make sure that all of our individuals are healthy and in complete control of their abilities and freedoms.
Education is the key. We need to make sure that people are getting the education they need, not only to understand that violence is not the right way to resolve issues, but also to prepare women to take care of themselves and their children.
Of course, education starts at home. Women need to demand respect from men by standing up for our beliefs and becoming more independent.
In the spirit of IWD I would like to pay tribute to a few of the thousands of women that have changed history by being brave and dreaming bigger than anybody before them: Clara Barton, founder of the Red
Cross, for showing compassion for the sick and wounded and creating an organization that helps millions around the world.
Rosa Parks, civil rights activist, for making it right to speak up against unfair treatment of human beings. Her courage gave inspiration to millions others who were scared of trying to make things right.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton, anti-slavery activist and founder of the women’s right movement, for being tough after being told by her father that he wished she was a boy, proving him wrong and organizing the first national convention to earn women the right to vote.
Mary Wollstonecraft, writer, for writing “A Vindication on the Rights of Woman,” an important piece of literature that talks about gender equality.
This Sunday, celebrate IWD by acknowledging the important women in your life, but do not forget about all the other women in the world who are faced with unfairness and inequality every day.
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Laura Gonzalez / Roundup ()
