Empowering Women's Voices: International Women's Day 2023

As we stand on the threshold of a new year, the pushback against gender equality remains a formidable challenge. Fuelled by anti-gender movements, de-democratization, restricted civic space, and regressive policies, the struggle for women's rights and gender equality is more pressing than ever.

Activating Our Values

The past year has seen a sharp rise in challenges to our fundamental values and principles. However, the collective effort to support women's rights and gender equality is not only commendable but necessary. We owe it to the future to stand together, investing in women and girls to accelerate progress and meet the challenges ahead.

Investing in Women and Girls

This year's International Women's Day calls for a renewed commitment to invest in women and girls. It is through this investment that we can navigate economic, conflict, and climate-related challenges. Investing in women and girls is the unequivocal pathway to achieving gender equality and sustainable development. Where women are equally represented, government governance thrives. Families and businesses flourish when women are free from the perpetual threat of violence. And, peace is found more quickly and is more durable when women have a bigger say in peace processes.

A Collective Opportunity

However, despite the clear evidence, the world continues to invest in weapons rather than women and girls. The challenge is that "later" never comes. The upcoming months and years present a collective opportunity to recommit ourselves to gender equality. The Summit of the Future is an important platform to centralize discussions on development, financing, technology, and peace and security, placing gender equality at the core of these dialogues.

Strength in Empowerment

To underscore this message, we turn to the words of a 14-year-old Irish girl, a powerful voice in today's world. Her poem, 'I Am Not a Dress,' speaks to the essence of gender empowerment and women's worth:

We are women, we are warriors of steel, Woman is something no man will ever feel, Woman is not a skill that any man can hone, Woman is our word and it is ours alone.
I am not a dress to be worn on a whim, A man in a dress is nonetheless a him, Women are not simply what we wear, If this offends you, I do not care.

I am not defined by sexists' eyes, There is more to a woman than that shallow guise, That guise of dresses, bikinis and skirts, Those clothes are not what womanhood is worth.

I am not a TERF a whore, a slag, Hysterical, a witch, a slut, a hag, No, I am a woman, I am a female, Who will not her rights be put up for sale.

I am not defined by what men are not, So to Hell with cis misogynistic rot.

I am a woman, I'm not a subset of my sex, If this makes me a dinosaur, so be it, I'm a T-rex.

I am not a bleeder, nor a menstruator, A womb carrier or a uterus haver, Those words and phrases are such a sham, Just call me woman it is who I am.

We are women, we are warriors of steel, Woman is something no man will ever feel, Woman is not a skill that any man can hone, Woman is our word and it is ours alone.

Conclusion

The poem by this young activist serves as a powerful reminder of the crucial role women play in shaping the future. Let us hold onto this inspiration and march forward in the fight for gender equality, recognizing that every voice, no matter its age, has the power to make a difference. Together, let us pledge to invest in women and girls, and ensure that the future is one where every woman has the freedom and dignity to thrive.