THE IMPORTANCE AND POWER OF WOMEN

International Women’s Day is observed the world over on March 8.  Celebrated globally from Alaska to Zambia, IWD highlights women’s progress worldwide and inspires women to achieve their full potential.  It is a day of international solidarity, and a day for reviewing the strength and organization of women.

In 1917, on this day, the great February revolution broke out in Russia.  It was the working; Working women of St. Petersburg who began this revolution; it was they who first decided to raise the banner of opposition to the Tsar and his associates.  Women have the courage to change the course of mankind’s history.  We have read of such women from mythical and historical times too.  One cannot really forget reading legends of the Biblical warrior Deborah, Queen of Sheba, or our own epic character Draupadi, or Razia Sultan, Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, Mary-Queen of Scots, Elizabeth I, to the more modern women such as Golden Meir, Sirimavo Bandaranaike and Indira Gandhi.

There can be no true democracy, no true people’s participation in governance and development without equal participation of women and men in all spheres of life and at all levels of decision making.  The goals of development cannot be attained without women’s full participation not only in the development process but also in shaping its goals.  Women’s participation is changing the world in which we live by bringing new priorities and perspectives to the political process and the organization of society.  Bringing new insight and contributions to all issues will lead to enrichment and shift the focus and content of discourse in politics and society to include wider range of views for socio-economic development of countries.

We don’t accomplish anything in this world alone and whatever happens is the result of the whole tapestry of one’s life.  As Martina Navratilova put it some time back, “I think the key (to success) is for women to not set any limits.”
Nisha Biju
                                        Faculty SMCS


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