Surjit Flora
On March 8, as we commemorate International Women’s Day, we recognize the message from United Nations Secretary General António Guterres for IWD 2024, highlighting the significant progress women and girls have made worldwide in advancing towards a fair and equitable society.
Despite the progress made by women and girls in their pursuit of equality, there are still numerous challenges that lie ahead. Guterres highlighted that women and girls have broken down barriers, challenged stereotypes, and pushed for a fairer and more equal world. Recognition of women’s rights as fundamental and universal human rights has been achieved.
There has been a significant increase in the number of females attending schools worldwide, reaching hundreds of millions. Furthermore, innovative and trailblazing individuals have successfully shattered barriers to advancement in several parts of the world. However, progress is facing a significant risk. However, achieving complete equality is still far distant. As he observed, a significant number of women and girls continue to experience marginalization, injustice, and prejudice. Additionally, the ongoing pandemic of gender-based violence is a shameful reflection of humanity. He also observes that our current society is still shaped by thousands of years of male-dominated power dynamics. This is a world where advancements are being challenged and met with a strong opposition to women’s rights.
At the same time, women and girls are disproportionately affected by global crises. Women and girls are disproportionately affected by conflict, climate disaster, poverty, and hunger. Across all global regions, a higher number of women experience hunger compared to men. In various nations, there is a growing resistance to women’s rights, particularly their sexual and reproductive rights, which is hindering and sometimes undoing advancements. Furthermore, new technologies, with their potential to address inequalities, often exacerbate the situation. These disparities may arise due to unequal access, biased algorithms, or targeted violence against women, such as deep fakes and harassment. This expression of concern about the sluggish progress leads to a negative conclusion, highlighting the need to confront a grim outcome.
Guterres pointed out that achieving full legal equality for women and ending child marriage is estimated to take around 300 years at our current pace. The rate of change is quite disappointing. Half of the global population cannot afford to wait centuries for their rights. Equality is urgently needed. Speeding up progress is essential. It hinges on political ambition and investment, which are the focal points of this year’s International Women’s Day. This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is ‘Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress’.
Addressing the issue directly, Guterres emphasizes the critical importance of investing in programs to combat violence against women, promote decent work, and enhance women’s participation and leadership in various fields. He emphasizes the need to strongly back women’s rights organizations that are working to combat stereotypes, amplify the voices of women and girls, and question traditional cultural norms.
They currently only receive a mere 0.1 percent of international development spending. “That must change.” Guterres emphasizes the importance of investing in building inclusive communities and societies where women and girls from all backgrounds can fully participate. He emphasizes the importance of investing in equality, stating that it is not only morally right but also financially beneficial.
Encouraging women to join formal labour markets boosts economies, raises tax revenues, and expands opportunities for all. This includes providing financial support, backing women’s organizations at the forefront, funding initiatives to combat violence against women, and encouraging women’s involvement and empowerment.
It involves ensuring that funding is available for sustainable development so that governments can prioritize investments in women and girls.
Guterres highlights the significance of women’s rights in building fair, peaceful, and prosperous societies. This is advantageous for all individuals. It is crucial that we all take immediate action to achieve these vital goals for equality.
(The writer is a
veteran journalist and freelance writer).
