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March 8 is celebrated as International Women's Day. Our guest columnist, Suja Mathew brings to you - a reminder of how it all started, implications for women during the pandemic and scripture references which are relevant in our pursuit of positive change in the lives of women.
Based in Bangalore, Suja Mathew is a software programmer at her day job. When she doesn't have her nose in a book, she can be found deliberating with her husband Georgie over what to watch next on Netflix. She believes that the world can be changed for the better, one small act at a time.
Suja's sister Sue along with husband Jean and young son Abraham are members of the SMCB community.
Too often International Women’s Day, celebrated on March 8 every year, is merely an excuse to promote either empty consumerism (“Women’s Day MEGA Sale!”) or empty sentiments (“celebrate the multitasking women in your life!”) This year, let’s resolve to celebrate International Women’s Day in a way that actually makes a difference.
Originally conceived by a socialist activist group in the USA in 1909, International Women’s Day’s initial focus was employment discrimination and women’s right to vote. (Let’s pause here for a moment to reflect that here in the USA, women’s right to universal suffrage would not be won till 1920!) In later years, this expanded to include equal pay, equal legal rights, reproductive rights, the prevention of violence against women- basically challenging gender inequality in all its pervasive forms.
What does gender inequality look like in the year following a global pandemic?
What does gender inequality look like in the year following a global pandemic?
UN Women finds that 2020 has caused serious setbacks for gender equality measures. To start with, unprecedented job losses and the resulting economic fallout means that women and girls will continue to be particularly affected by extreme poverty. Without financial independence, women are unable to escape abusive partners and are more vulnerable to trafficking.
UNESCO estimates an additional 11 million girls may leave school by the end of the COVID crisis; evidence from previous crises suggests that many will not return. Closer home, we have all struggled with shelter-in-place restrictions and the challenges of managing work and family, but this burden also falls disproportionately, with women doing almost three times more unpaid and care work than men.
These statistics are certainly distressing, but we must not despair. Fittingly, the theme of International Women’s Day 2021 is #ChooseToChallenge- what can we, as communities and as individuals, do to challenge the status quo, and push the needle towards a more equitable future for all?
In our Catholic community, let us look to our Holy Father Pope Francis, who is an active promoter of gender equality. Just earlier this year, he modified canon law so that women can now become lectors and acolytes, and has taken steps to increase women’s leadership at the Vatican.
1 Peter 4:10 tells us, "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace." So too are we, by virtue of our God-given blessings, called to use every tool in our power to bring about change.
This lovely poem by writer and activist Shailja Patel puts it perfectly:
Read women. Cite women. Credit women.
Teach women. Publish women. Present women.
Acknowledge women. Award women. Amplify women.
Hire women. Support women. Promote women.
Hear women. Believe women. Follow women.
Pay women. Pay women. Pay women.
Galatians 6:9 tells us “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Together we can make a better tomorrow for the world’s women and girls.
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