Most people know the cliche: “behind every great man is a great woman” and some might know the feminists’ version “behind every great woman is no one”.
International Women’s Day is a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities.
This year’s theme is “Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality”.
The idea of this theme is to consider how to accelerate the 2030 Agenda, building momentum for the effective implementation of the new Sustainable Development Goals, particularly:
* Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
* Ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning.
The theme will also focus on new commitments under UN Women’s Step It Up initiative, and other existing commitments on gender equality, women’s empowerment and women’s human rights.
Society, or rather men and boys, should be recognising the grinding unpaid work that most ordinary women and girls perform every day, all year long.
This unpaid work contribution is rarely recognised by national accounts or given credit in any real meaningful way, other than lip service on the International Day for Women (March 8) or Mother’s Day.
Remembering the lives of women around the country suffering and grieving from the devastation of Severe Tropical Cyclone Winston, women in Labasa gathered at the Nasea Methodist Church to celebrate International Women’s Day of Prayer last weekend.
Addressing the women during his sermon at the interfaith service, the church’s Reverend Noa Turaganivalu stressed the need to change attitudes in rearing children.
Mr Turaganivalu said in light of this year’s prayer theme, “Receive Children Receive Me”, mothers in Fiji needed to change their attitude towards the treatment of their children.
Women continue to play an important role in the family, therefore, Mr Turaganivalu said they were the gatekeepers of their homes choosing whether to let evil or goodness into their households.
In a world where women had become vocal about their rights, Mr Turaganivalu said rights came with responsibilities.
Last year, Opposition leader, Ro Teimumu Kepa in her address to women on the occassion of International Women’s Day called on women to be brave and stand united for a resilient Fiji.
With International Women’s Day celebrated globally on March 8, Ro Teimumu said IWD was a day to celebrate the achievements and accomplishments of every women.
“It is an occasion to look back at past struggles and accomplishments, and more importantly, to look ahead to the untapped potential and the many opportunities that await future generations of women,” Ro Teimumu said.
“Today, we stand on the foreshore of a resilient Fiji that has been built on the backs of many strong women.”
Ro Teimumu said the day recognised the role of women in peace efforts and development.
She said it was also a day to encourage and support the end of discrimination and increase support for women’s full and equal participation.
International Women’s Day is celebrated in many countries around the world. It is a day when women are recognised for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political. International Women’s Day first emerged from the activities of labour movements at the turn of the 20th Century in North America and across Europe.
Since those early years, International Women’s Day has assumed a new global dimension for women in developed and developing countries alike. The growing international women’s movement, which has been strengthened by four global United Nations women’s conferences, has helped make the commemoration a rallying point to build support for women’s rights and participation in the political and economic arenas.