The year 2022 on this 8th March, marks 111 years since the struggle for women equality began in the United States of America. It was on the 28th February 1909 that the first struggle of equal rights started in which the Socialist Party of America in the New York City supported the organization of a Women’s Day. This organization set the tables rolling for other countries like Germany (1910), across Europe (1911), Russia (1917) and the spread continued until 1960 albeit with no set date. Having achieved significant milestones, the United Nations officially adopted and recognized the International Women’s Day in 1977, becoming a mainstream global holiday worldwide. Today marks 45 years since the struggle for women equality was officially recognized and acknowledged worldwide.
The United Nations theme for this year’s celebration is “Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow”, as governments, institutions private and public, civil society organizations and various national, regional and world bodies continue to advocate for the practice of equal rights and opportunities in the cultural, social, economic and political spheres of life. Of course, this struggle has not been in vain. Successes have been registered with most communities having women in high places of employment, engagement in government decisions, education opportunities for all and fair competitiveness in economic and political circles is being witnessed.
Undoubtedly, the most powerful collaboration of all time is that women have rooted firm the International Women’s Day which continuously rings a bell in the minds of the global community by emphasizing the need to have equal rights for all.
The International Women’s Day has instilled in most societies the importance of upholding basic human values of; Justice, Dignity, Hope, Equality, Collaboration, Tenacity, Appreciation, Respect, Empathy and Forgiveness. The global citizens to this day continue with such collaborations to weed out spirits of injustice towards the woman especially in the cultural spheres. Importantly aimed at transforming mindsets of men and women for the greater good cause.
In Uganda, the drive of equality for all continues to birth progress. For instance in April 2013, the office of the Auditor General released a national report and in it, documented some of the government efforts to achieve gender equality including; Uganda being a signatory to a number of regional and international declarations on gender mainstreaming, notably: The East Africa Community (EAC) Treaty (2000), The Millennium Declaration (2000), The Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW 1979), The African Union (AU) Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa (2003), The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995). The government of Uganda and other human rights bodies continue to work collaboratively in the efforts to implement these commitments through various sector players. Nevertheless, it goes to mention that despite these efforts, communities continue to remain with imbalances caused by customs and practices and thus the struggle continues.
Let us continue with the struggle but remain celebrating the achievements made such as today the 8th March 2022.
UTAMU WISHES YOU A HAPPY WOMEN’S DAY CELEBRATION
