Know Her & Inspire Her - International Women's Day

As written by Rtr. Kavishka Gunaratne

“Let’s make sure women and girls can shape the policies, services and infrastructure that impact all our lives. And let’s support women and girls who are breaking down barriers to create a better world for everyone.”

António Guterres

Initiated by the Socialist Party of America in 1909 and later adopted by the United Nations in 1975, the International Women’s Day is celebrated annually on the 8th of March, all over the world. The spirit of the day lies in honouring and empowering womanhood while creating a platform to allow open discussion and spread awareness on matters concerning women (such as gender equality, lack of validation to hold responsible positions in decision/strategy making, etc.). As per the United Nations website, “It is a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political. It is an occasion for looking back on past struggles and accomplishments, and more importantly, for looking ahead to the untapped potential and opportunities that await future generations of women.”

A woman looks at the world in a different light. She possesses the strength to strive for greater things and the potential to achieve the impossible if she sets her heart to it. Societal pressure and stereotypes have dampened woman’s journey in reaching the apexes of institutions dealing with decision and policy making, creating world peace, designing strategies for sustainable development, and simply, in achieving the best they are capable of. To date, we as a global community still struggle with allowing women to grasp opportunities that may grant them the reins to shape the world in order to create a better place for all. Some parts of the world are yet to achieve equal rights for their women in numerous aspects such as for education, for being considered equal in front of the law, etc. This has led to many different global uprisings and movements, some of which seem to lose control over what they demand as they progress. Therefore, it is high time that we reach a common ground on solutions to be taken to resolve the issues that still remain unsolved with regard to the unjust treatment of women and lack of proper opportunities open for them.

The amount of feats achieved, up until now, in the quest to realize equality of men and women and a more positive world for women to live in where they could write their own success stories, is indeed admirable. Thus let’s join hands and work in harmony, starting this International Women’s Day, in overcoming the remaining obstacles in this revolutionary journey and achieving its ultimate goal in the foreseeable future.

May the world inspire her forever!