It is that time of the year again, when the festive season has gone by, Valentine’s Day has passed too and we’re looking forward to Easter. All these seasons are centered on love and self-reflection and how we relate with people, especially our loved ones. But one day many people may forget and do not have as strong of an attachment to is International Women’s Day, the day that celebrates the achievements of women while calling for greater equality.
Every time I hear of an event that centers on women, empowerment comes to my mind, which then leads to the idea of feminism. Although feminists actively advocate for women’s rights with respect to political, social and economic equity to men, I feel that you cannot separate a female from feminism.
For a long time, women had been discriminated against, infringing on their human rights, including here in Zambia. For example, having the right to access education that a male would have access to, and gaining high profile positions in organizations that men usually held, was unheard of. Many girls did not go to school and were told their place was to be the kitchen. While the male child received an education, the girl was taught how to be a good homemaker, leaning cooking, gardening and cleaning. As culture demands, the female is further required to be submissive to her husband once married. When the issue of submission is not understood, many women have their rights further infringed. Women have the right to access health care. But in some cases, the husband has made the decision that the wife should not opt for such health care, like cervical cancer screening or use of contraceptives for the purpose of family planning.
With the introduction of movements like the Gender is My Agenda Campaign (GIMAC), launched in 2002 in Durban, South Africa, and ensuring more women are moving into decision-making positions, a space for civil organizations to formulate and promote the gender equality agenda for Africa has become possible. This is slowly breaking the glass-ceiling syndrome and women are reaching levels of influence and empowerment, a development that is significant. According to the 2014 Millennium Development Goals Report, participation of women in politics and decision making has increased, as well as enrollment of girls into primary school.
“The political participation of women has continued to increase. In January 2014, 46 countries boasted having more than 30 per cent female members of parliament in at least one chamber. More women are now holding some of the so-called “hard” ministerial portfolios—such as Defense, Foreign Affairs and the Environment.
Disparities in primary school enrollment between boys and girls are being eliminated in all developing regions. Substantial gains have been made towards reaching gender parity in school enrollment at all levels of education in all developing regions. By 2012, all developing regions have achieved, or were close to achieving, gender parity in primary education”
(Wu Hongbo Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs)
It is good to know that such goals are being realized. It’s important too, to note that once girls are educated their quality of life improves: they have healthy families and become economically empowered and can compete favorably for employment, and are able to break through the glass ceiling.
As I reflect on this year’s International Women’s Day theme for Zambia, “Gender is my Agenda: #MakeItHappen” I would like to challenge the women in leadership positions at every level to empower other women. One way women can be empowered is encouraging them to stand up for their right to health. As a Global Heath Corps fellow, I am privileged to be in a position that calls for me to help others, and working on women cancer control services, I am challenged to use my position to help women make gender their agenda. I am encouraging women to go for cervical cancer screenings as a way to care for their health and make informed decisions for the future. Many women feel that submission to their husbands entails that they cannot make any decisions without the husband approving, even decisions about their health. At my organization, we offer cervical cancer screening services for free, yet some women do not come to take advantage of this service until they start to exhibit symptoms of cervical cancer, because their husbands did not allow them to come for screenings earlier. Others who are brave enough come for screenings but the moment lesions are found that require treatment, they opt out of the treatment because it requires that they abstain from sex for two weeks, and they fear their husbands’ reaction to such news.
As I celebrate women this year, I urge us all to make gender our agenda: to care for our health, raise healthy children and families, and empower all women to make better decisions for our lives. It does not end there though, we need to make it happen, get up and get screened for cervical cancer. Tell your sister about it, your mother, your aunt, your friend. #MakeItHappen