Women

Women til this day, in 2018, are still fighting to be heard, to be recognized, to be listened to and respected. Men often say that they “get” women and understand what we are going through and “complaining” about, but they don’t. They say they do and that is merely to put a tape over our mouths and silence us.

Men have always had power over women and our voice has not been strong enough to make changes or silence them. But, are men at fault? You have those who support us, walk with us and work with us to have our voices heard but are they really all the way in. Are they open to believing that women can actually have power over them? Are they ok with that?

Our voices have gotten louder but we can move mountains in silence as well. And by that, I mean to take action, not with words, posters, protests, but really using our mind, body and soul to make change for us and our daughters for a better tomorrow.

Women and girls all over the world are still struggling with the following:

1. Access To Education

A 2013 report by UNESCO found that 31 million girls of primary school age were not in school, and about one out of every four young women in developing countries had never completed their primary school education.

2. Employment Opportunities

Even in a country as wealthy and developed as the US, women still experience major inequality in the workforce: By some estimates, women earn only $0.77 for every $1 earned by men. Globally, the gender gap is even wider: women earn only one tenth of the world’s income despite working two thirds of the total work hours .

3. Reproductive Health Rights

225 million women in developing countries have an unmet need for family planning, contributing to 74 million unplanned pregnancies and 36 million abortions every year, according to figures cited by Women Deliver, a women’s advocacy group .

4. Maternal Health

The World Health Organization estimates that 800 women die every day from preventable, pregnancy-related causes. That’s nearly 300,000 lives per year needlessly lost during what is fundamentally a life-creating event.

5. Gender Based Violence

1 in 3 women experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetimes, according to WHO. Whether it’s domestic abuse, rape, or sexual trafficking, gender-based violence denies far too many women the opportunity to live happy, healthy, and fulfilling lives.

6. Child Marriage

An estimated 140 million girls will become child brides between 2011 and 2020 . Girls who marry before age 18 are typically denied an education, at risk of complications related to premature childbearing, and more vulnerable to intimate partner violence.

7. Female Genital Mutilation

Female Genital Mutilation (or FGM), defined by WHO as including “procedures that intentionally alter or cause injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons,” is a complex issue with religious and cultural implications for the groups who practice it.

8. Gender Equality

Equality (or the lack thereof) is a recurring issue when it comes to women and girls, whether it’s unequal access to schooling for girls in developing countries, or unequal pay for women in the workplace. In a world where 95% of countries are led by a male head of state, it’s clear that we as a global community have a long way to go before women are given a fair shake.

It’s time to take action NOW. Women’s rights need and have to change and the truth of the matter is that our actions will not change overnight but by taking that first step in asking ourselves, “How can I make a change?”, “Who can I contact to make this change?” “Where can I make a change?”. Ask yourselves these questions and do your research. A little goes a long way. We are women, we are strong, we are powerful, we are worth our fight and struggle!

“If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman” -- Margaret Thatcher

Written By: Liset Diaz (Instagram: fabu.lisse)