Abat Bertha

Whenever we ask a question on the opinion of Women, there will be various answers that come up with diverse analyses based on the experiences, norms, and beliefs in the society. 

2024. we again celebrate International Women’s Day with the theme Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress 

There are some basic needs to be seen when we look the investing in women and girls. 

1. Aware of their presence

We need to be aware of the presence of women around us and it should be start from the closed ones. Like in the family, a mother, a daughter, a sister, cousins and friends. However, people used to talk about the rights of everyone and being blinded of the women unempowered around them.

Some of us refuse to aware of the presence of women, where they are capable of doing, making, creating, producing, and working on some things. But, the ego of looking into women, comes to the mind and make us forget about the capabilities and aware of their presence just because they’re women.

2. A space to think: Opportunity

We sometimes face depression because there is no space for us in our home, school, or office, to share our thoughts and feelings.

Indirectly, the acts of our friends, family, partners, and colleagues make us hide that idea. The feelings of human beings and women sometimes become so difficult to explain and understand.

There is a need for women to feel like they’ve given a safe space to think, an opportunity to do what they want, like and need.

3. Engage

The practices of balance in the workplace, membership, employment, and structure sometimes, they will make it balance by bringing any women into it so that they will get support such as funds. Just to fill in the policies. It is a totally poor mindset and practice.

We need start engaging, empowering, walking, and working together with the youngest women, girls, youth.

This picture shared by UN Women for this year campaign, should be a reminder for us. The skills and abilities of someone should not be because of gender, everyone is same.

4. Free to decide: Rights

We believe that these days there are some young girls and women who still cannot decide whether something is good or not based on their own because there is still a driver in the system. System in the workplace, family, and society.

When it comes to the decision-making, there are still, a lot of cases and misunderstood of empowering women. They’d be like a doll in the forum, space where they should not, cannot, and must not speak or decide anything. It is really a crucial part, where women are not just being engaged, but should have rights as well as men to decide.

5. Listen

The previous point, well written and hopefully can help us in picturing the same situations as women, men in a frame, meeting, forum, community/organizations, where women are there only for the formality. We should also hear from their thoughts, ideas and opinions.

6. Education

When we come to this point, what we all should understand and see on the same page is that investing in women means education.

There are many ways to educate women and girls not just in as formal way. The opportunity to learn and unlearn from the community, organization and others informal or non-formal educations.

 7. A way to walk: Empower

The women and young girls face challenges and life in their own struggles with gender inequality.

They will finish their studies and work under the system where women should be in the second tier.

There is no way for them to stand up.

At this point, empowering women to be self-sufficient should be the goal for investing in women

8. Help to stand

There is a difference between men and women when we make wrong decisions and choices. It sounds like man has a second chance to get up and try again

But women should not make any mistakes in their lives because life is short and only once

Can we all reflect on this together?

It is odd and tragic that we still live and think the same way these days

Let us at least think and have the same mind on these matters. Then we will be ready to talk further about investing in Women

It was announced and commemorated many years ago, without better understanding except for those who work on it.

To end this month of Women, please remember, everyday we are around by women, and they too, are human. So, women rights means also human rights. Happy International Women’s Day 2024