IF we don’t put women in history books, they get edited out of history.” These words by Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, former chairperson of the African Union Commission, are a powerful reminder of the need to appreciate women and girls and ensure their rights are protected.
However, their contributions to society are often overlooked. Despite their critical role in shaping communities, women and girls face several constraints that hinder them from participating in economic activities, political affairs and social endeavours.
They continue to face systemic neglect and marginalisation.
Their voices are frequently overshadowed, their achievements under-recognised, and their rights are still not fully realised in many parts of the world.
For instance, according to a recent report by UN Women, approximately 51,100 women and girls were killed globally in 2023 by family members and intimate partners, an increase from an estimated 48,800 in 2022.
This means that in 2023, at least 140 women and girls were killed every day.
The impacts of climate change in most parts of the world are also worsening their conditions. In Africa, women and girls often bear an unequal burden when these disasters hit.
Besides children and persons with disabilities, women face food insecurity, poverty and increased exposure to violence and displacement.
The Africa Gender Index 2023 Analytical Report, released by the African Development Bank Group and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, reveals that the continent is halfway to achieving gender parity.
While most African countries have made significant strides toward gender equality, much work remains.
Therefore, African governments must invest more in sustainable and inclusive socioeconomic development for women and girls.
One quickest and most efficient way to achieve this is by increasing women’s access to education and training across all sectors.
As the African Continental Free Trade Area framework endeavours to transform the continent through trade, women entrepreneurs and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises should receive extensive training to be well prepared to capitalise on the opportunities available within this framework.
Gender quotas must also be strengthened to balance the number of qualified women in government and private sector positions.
Although most countries have taken steps toward this goal, more must be done.
Observed each year on March 8, International Women’s Day offers a unique opportunity to reflect on the progress made toward gender equality and, most importantly, to reaffirm that the rights of women and girls must be recognised.
In 1908, more than 15,000 women marched through New York demanding shorter working hours, better pay and the right to vote, making IWD a time to reflect on and advance women’s rights in all spheres. This year’s celebration, themed ‘Rights, Equality, and Empowerment for ALL Women and Girls’, calls for deliberate actions to unlock equal rights, power and opportunities for women and girls. It must be a day to hold all stakeholders responsible and ensure that they contribute to gender equality.
The celebration must also call upon the necessity of deliberately translating policies, frameworks and laws into enforceable actions. Consider Kenya’s two-thirds gender rule, which aimed to transform women’s leadership roles.
Though genially crafted and with significant progress over the years, the rule still has considerable gaps, orchestrated by the inability to implement it effectively. And such is the situation throughout the world.
Therefore, as the world celebrates International Women’s Day, we must galvanise global action for women’s empowerment and use this occasion to remind ourselves of the need to advocate gender equality in all spheres.
A thorough examination is necessary to identify gaps and ensure that concrete steps have been taken to empower women and girls to take their rightful place.
Let this celebration mark a turning point from rhetorical policy formulation to actionable steps to achieve gender equality. Happy International Women’s Day!
The writer is a Communication specialist
