INTERNATIONAL Women’s Day is here again. The event is commemorated on March 8 to celebrate women’s achievements . It is also known as United Nations Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace.
In Malaysia, the event is observed at various levels and degrees but this year the expectation is dimmed or maybe even obliterated against the gloomy backdrop of a nation in crisis.
Regardless, the silver lining is that there are organisations that continue to showcase events and activities to keep the annual momentum going.
On this occasion, I feel it is relevant to share the value of empowerment as a means of uplifting women and girls who suffer in silence from subjugation and discrimination.
Empowering girls and women is powerful. Today, we know it is the key to economic growth, political stability, and social transformation. World leaders, experts and scholars are giving their voice to this critical endeavour.
Barack Obama, the former US president, said in a speech, “When women succeed, nations are more safe, secure and prosperous”. Such profound words and the depth of the meaning they carry should be sufficient to inveigle policymakers to have action plans to empower women.
We all know how relevant and important “girl power” is and yet why isn’t this happening on a mass scale?
Astonishingly, the exact opposite is true on the ground. Rather than uplifting and empowering girls and women as the most powerful force for transformation and progress, violence is perpetrated on them.
Every minute, two girls and women are raped in South Africa. Every hour, 48 girls and women are raped as a weapon of war in Congo. Every day, three women are killed by their male partner in the United States.
More than 100 million female babies have been killed, aborted, and neglected to die simply because they were girls. The brutal reality is that the violence against girls and women is still happening in outrageous numbers in some countries, codified and almost as if it is a norm. Are women and girls fighting a losing battle? Superficially, we may not think so but we know the reality.
So how do we empower girls and women? And what exactly is women’s empowerment?
There is no common definition. In fact, the word “empowerment” does not exist in most languages. Although the phrase “women’s empowerment” is used universally in the Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment space, it is generally in the context of issues, economic empowerment, political participation, and girls’ education.
Empowerment is a process. Through the process, an individual becomes an agent of change. More simply put, it’s the migration from “I can’t” to “I can”.
More than ever before, today’s young women have more choices and control in their lives and they have the most choices in education, the least in career choices.
What do young women want to change the most in their lives? Their career and income, followed by personal development. Surveys have shown that 60% of women identified themselves as creating the change for themselves. Family and the government are not in the picture or appear rather distant.
Education is one of the most important means of empowering women with knowledge, skills and self-confidence necessary in the development process.
At national level, Malaysia should establish mechanisms for women’s equal participation and equitable representation at all levels of public life in the community and society.
Also, equally important is eliminating all practices that discriminate against women and assist women to establish and realise their rights, including those that related to reproductive and sexual health.
Adopting appropriate measures to improve women’s ability to earn income beyond the traditional occupations and with them allowing them to achieve economic self-reliance will future-proof women against adverse eventualities affecting their ability to learn.
In the wake of Covid-19 and the political situation, our beloved country stands weary. While I wish all women a very Happy International Women’s Day, let’s stand united in our prayers for the good times to return.
Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
