by Kaniya Abubakar
Last month we celebrated International Women’s Day on the 8th of March to highlight the cultural, political and socioeonomic achievements of women. This eventful day provides the perfect platform to amplify our concerns on the pervasive issues which continue to transcend time, such as: gender inequality, reproductive rights and violence against women. The conception behind IWD, dates back to labour movements in North America and Europe during the early 20th century and this campaign continues to be marked by protests and radical change for women across the globe.
This years campaign theme #Choosetochallenge encourages people to raise their hands high to show their commitment in confronting gender bias, to foster a more inclusive world. Be forthcoming, disruptive and an active citizen in the pursuit of fighting for justice – challenges are usually followed by change, so the more we continue to raise our voices as a collective the more we can enact positive change.
Despite overcoming barriers since the early 20th century, there are still structural limitations that we as women endure. For example, this past month we saw the tragic kidnapping and subsequent murder of Sarah Everard, by a male authority figure working for the Metropolitan police. It’s events like this, which reinforce fear and anxiety amongst us who feel powerless in a system that is meant to protect and serve.
Consequently, this horrific murder has sparked a national dialogue on the security and welfare of women and in turn implement interventions and further laws to protect our welbeing. There have been calls to make misogyny a hate crime with Sian Berry, a Green Party candidate running to become Mayor of London stating “it will help police and others see the extent of this problem, tackle perpetrators more appropriately and shed new light on the toxic culture that currently permits a host of harmful behaviour against women, from catcalls to unwanted touching to violence”. Here at Where Does It Come From? We couldnt agree more.
As a growing ethical brand, we will continue to fight for gender equality, provide partnerships and opportunities for women within the Global South. This starts with ensuring they’re justly remunerated for their services. We will also like to take the time out to shed light on other social enterprises doing something similar. A prime example is our friends over at Ethiqana who champion womens right’s and NGO’s in Jaipur, who work towards womens empowerment. All in all, IWD allows us to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women, who have played an extraordinary role in shaping their communities and countries for a more equitable society.
Published April 7, 2021 & Filed in guest blogs,Jo’s Soapbox,Where Does It Come From? Blog
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