March 8: The Cry of Equality

The 8th March, International Women’s Day, is much more than just a date on the calendar. March 8th is the day on which a collective thunderous roar must be heard, a battle cry of «enough is enough» from all women everywhere and of all ethnicities, religions and cultures who have defied unfair social and legal norms every day to fight for their most basic and elementary rights.  Today is therefore a day to honour those women who devoted their lives and worked tirelessly, often in the shadows, without recognition and sometimes at the cost of their own lives, to break down all gender barriers in all aspects of life, from the home to the workplace, both in their personal lives and in the realm of public and social life.

From the beginnings of the French Revolution, with Olympe de Gouges and her Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Citizen in 1791, the pioneers of women’s suffrage in the 19th century such as Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, 20th century civil rights advocates such as Rosa Parks, Eleanor Roosevelt and Gloria Steinem, and 21st century women leaders such as Malala Yousafzai, Michelle Obama and Greta Thuberg, women have been at the forefront of the struggle for equality between women and men.

One such woman was Hansa Mehta, India’s delegate to the Paris Conference that drafted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Thanks to her work, she introduced in Article 1 of the Universal Declaration the formula «All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights», thus including women and men in equal rights, because of their equal and inviolable human dignity.

All these women, and many others, have demonstrated every day, time and again, that they are not only capable of leading and taking transcendental decisions for society as a whole, but that they are also absolutely essential for the progress of all humanity. And they have done so in the face of constant struggle in the face of adversity, courage and determination, and by inspiring generations of women around the world to follow in their footsteps in the quest for equality.

However, despite advances in gender equality, women still face many unfair challenges in our society. In the workplace, the pay gap is still evident. Women are still often paid less than men for doing the same work, and discrimination and harassment are still widespread. Not to mention the fact that in the vast majority of cases, women still carry a disproportionate burden of unpaid and invisible work, such as caring for children, the elderly and household chores.

For these reasons, International Women’s Day must be a deafening cry that pushes us to achieve recognition of all their efforts, to eradicate all obstacles and to reaffirm our unanimous commitment to continue working until full gender equality is achieved. Today is not just another day to celebrate the achievements of women throughout the history of humanity, it is also a reminder that there is still much to be done… AND IT WILL BE DONE.

We cannot forget that women are an integral and essential part of our economy and our society. Therefore, they deserve to be recognised and valued for their work. Hence, there is still a need for policies that support women in the workplace, equal pay for work of equal value, maternity protection, as well as defence against all forms of violence, discrimination and harassment.

We must continue to work towards building a global society where women are valued and respected in all aspects of life. This means challenging all gender stereotypes and promoting gender equality across the board not only in our homes, but also in educational institutions at all levels and in workplaces of all kinds and sectors.

On this day we must honour the women who paved the way for millions of people, the way for the equality of women and men. But let us not forget that the struggle for gender equality is not over yet. Everyone, no matter who they are, has the opportunity to play a vital role in promoting and defending gender equality, because only in this way will we ensure that no steps backwards in equality and rights are ever taken.

Advocacy for gender equality is a common task that needs our full attention and there are many ways in which anyone can contribute to achieving it. The first of these is education, because only through education that promotes gender equality from the outset can we challenge stereotypes and bring about the necessary socio-cultural change in which women will never again be undervalued or subjected to discrimination and violations of their human rights. It is therefore essential to support those women who are still deprived of the right to legitimate personal and professional development, those women and girls who are denied access to education, vocational training and the opportunity to show their enormous leadership capacity.

Of course, we must continue to advocate for policies that defend gender equality in the workplace and in all areas of society. This means ensuring active participation in decision-making and advocating for equality through political participation, through demonstrations and protests or through organisations that advocate for gender equality with governments and institutions.

The time of stereotypes must be in the past. Traditional gender roles must be banished forever and we must stand unconditionally on the side of all those women who still challenge the patriarchal roles that prevent their empowerment through diversity and inclusion. A diversity and inclusion that necessarily involves recognising the inherent rights of all women and among all women, of all men and among all men, of all human beings, without distinction of any kind, born free and equal in dignity and rights. And yes, trans women ARE WOMEN and therefore entitled to all the rights that are inherent to them as human beings. There can be no debate in this regard.

This day is much more than a reminder of the importance of continuing the struggle for equality within the global society. It is a day to celebrate the gains that have been made, to stop any attempts at regression and to face the challenges that remain. Challenges that will only be overcome if we work together for equal opportunities and prosperity for all people without excluding anyone.

Let us never forget that the greatest advances in human rights, fundamental rights and public freedoms for all people, whoever they may be, bear the imprint of feminism and of all those women who gave their all for equality among all people, among all human beings. Not recognising this reality, which is an indelible part of history, is not an act of forgetfulness, but of cynicism.

Because only by joining hands will we succeed.

For those who were, for those who are and for those who will be.

Let us build the road to equality.

Let us follow the path of equality.

Let us work for equality.

Let us make equality.

8 de Marzo: El Grito de la Igualdad

(Escrito en 🇪🇸🇲🇽 – Written in -🇬🇧🇺🇸)

🇪🇸🇲🇽ESPAÑOL🇪🇸🇲🇽

(Día Internacional de la Mujer)

El día 8 de marzo, Día Internacional de la Mujer, es mucho más que una simple fecha en el calendario. El 8 de marzo es el día en el que ha de escucharse un rugido colectivo atronador, un grito de guerra y de “basta ya” de todas las mujeres de todas partes y de todas las etnias, religiones y culturas que desafían cada día las normas sociales y legales injustas para luchar por sus derechos más básicos y elementales. Por eso, hoy es un día para honrar a aquellas mujeres que consagraron su vida y trabajaron de forma incansable, a menudo en la sombra, sin reconocimiento y, a veces, a costa de su propia vida, para romper todas las barreras de género en todos los aspectos de la vida, desde el hogar hasta el lugar de trabajo, tanto en su vida personal como en el ámbito de la vida pública y social

Desde los inicios de la Revolución Francesa, con Olympe de Gouges y su Declaración de los Derechos de la Mujer y de la Ciudadana en 1791, las pioneras del sufragio femenino en el siglo XIX como Susan B. Anthony y Elizabeth Cady Stanton, las defensoras de los derechos civiles del siglo XX como Rosa Parks,  Eleanor Roosevelt o Gloria Steinem, y las lideresas del siglo XXI como Malala Yousafzai, Michelle Obama y Greta Thuberg, las mujeres han estado en la vanguardia de la lucha por la igualdad entre mujeres y hombres. 

Una de estas mujeres fue Hansa Mehta, Delegada de la India durante la Conferencia de Paría que redactó la Declaración Universal de los Derechos Humanos. Gracias a su labor, introdujo en el artículo 1 de la Declaración Universal la fórmula  «Todos los seres humanos nacen libres e iguales en dignidad y derechos”, incluyendo, por tanto, a mujeres y a hombres en igualdad de derechos, por su igual dignidad humana inviolable. 

Todas estas mujeres, y muchas otras, han demostrado cada día, una y otra vez, que no sólo son capaces de liderar y tomar decisiones trascendentales para el conjunto de la sociedad, sino que también son totalmente esenciales para el progreso de toda la humanidad. Y lo han hecho bajo una lucha constante frente a la adversidad, desde la valentía y determinación, e inspirando a generaciones de mujeres de todo el mundo a seguir sus pasos en la búsqueda de la igualdad. 

Sin embargo, a pesar de los avances en materia de igualdad de género, las mujeres todavía enfrentan numerosos e injustos desafíos en nuestra sociedad. En el ámbito laboral, la brecha salarial es aún evidente. Sigue siendo frecuente que las mujeres perciban un salario menor que los hombres por hacer el mismo trabajo, sufriendo, además, la discriminación y el acoso aún muy generalizados. Todo ello sin olvidar que las mujeres siguen asumiendo en la inmensa mayoría de los casos una carga desproporcionada de trabajo no remunerado e invisibilizado, como el cuidado de los niños, personas de edad avanzada y las tareas del hogar.

Por estas razones, el Día Internacional de la Mujer debe ser un grito ensordecedor que nos empuje a lograr el reconociendo de todo su esfuerzo, para erradicar todos los obstáculos y reafirmar nuestro compromiso unánime de seguir trabajando hasta alcanzar la plena igualdad de género. Y es que, el día de hoy, no es solo una fecha más para  celebrar los logros de las mujeres a lo largo de la historia de la humanidad, también es un recordatorio que todavía queda mucho por hacer… Y SE HARÁ. 

No podemos olvidar que las mujeres son una parte integral y esencial de nuestra economía y nuestra sociedad. Por tanto, merecen ser reconocidas y valoradas por su trabajo. De ahí que aún sean necesarias políticas que apoyen a las mujeres en los lugares de trabajo, la igualdad salarial por trabajo de igual valor, la protección de la maternidad, así como la defensa ante toda forma de violencia, discriminación y acoso.

Es preciso seguir trabajando por la construcción de una sociedad global donde se valore y se respete a las mujeres en todos los aspectos de la vida. Esto conlleva desafiar todos los estereotipos de género y promover de manera transversal la igualdad de género no solo en nuestros hogares, sino también en los centros educativos de todos los niveles y en los lugares de trabajo de cualquier naturaleza y sector. 

En este día hemos de honrar a las mujeres que allanaron el camino para millones de personas, el camino para la igualdad de mujeres y hombres. Pero no olvidemos  que la lucha por la igualdad de género aún no ha acabado. Toda persona, sea quien sea, tiene la oportunidad de desempeñar un papel vital en la promoción y defensa de la igualdad de género, porque solo así conseguiremos que nunca se den pasos hacia atrás en igualdad y derechos

Defender la igualdad de género es una tarea común que necesita toda nuestra atención y hay muchas formas en las que cualquier persona puede contribuir para alcanzarla. La primera de ellas es la educación, porque solo a través de una educación fomente la igualdad de género desde los inicios puede desafiar los estereotipos y lograr el cambio sociocultural necesario en el que las mujeres nunca más sean infravaloradas ni objeto de discriminación y vulneración de sus derechos humanos. De ahí que sea imprescindible apoyar a aquellas mujeres que aún se ven privadas del derecho a su legítimo desarrollo personal y profesional, a aquellas mujeres y niñas que ven vetado su acceso a la educación, a la formación profesional y mostrar su enorme capacidad de liderazgo.

Por supuesto, hay que seguir abogando por políticas que defiendan la igualdad de género en el lugar de trabajo y en todos los ámbitos de la sociedad. Esto pasa por garantizar la participación activa en la toma de decisiones y por la defensa de la igualdad a través de la participación política, mediante los actos de manifestación y protesta o a través de organizaciones que promueven la defensa de la igualdad de género ante gobiernos e instituciones. 

El tiempo de los estereotipos debe quedar en pasado. Los roles de género tradicionales han de ser desterrados para siempre y debemos posicionarnos incondicionalmente de lado de todas aquellas mujeres que aún desafían los roles patriarcales que impiden su empoderamiento desde la diversidad y la inclusión. Una diversidad y una inclusión que pasa necesariamente por reconocer los derechos inherentes de todas las mujeres y entre todas las mujeres, de todos los hombres y entre todos los hombres, de todos los seres humanos, sin distinción alguna, nacidos libres e iguales en dignidad y derechos. Y sí, las mujeres trans SON MUJERES y, por tanto, titulares de todos los derechos que les son inherentes como seres humanos. No puede existir debate alguno en este sentido.

Este día es mucho más que un recordatorio de la importancia de seguir luchando por la igualdad en el seno de la sociedad global. Es un día para celebrar las conquistas alcanzadas, frenar cualquier intento de involución y enfrentar los desafíos que aún quedan pendientes. Desafíos que únicamente serán superados si trabajamos conjuntamente en favor de la igualdad de oportunidades y por la prosperidad de todas las personas sin excluir a nadie. 

Nunca olvidemos que los mayores avances en materia de derechos humanos, derechos fundamentales y libertades públicas para todas las personas, sean quienes sean, llevan la impronta del feminismo y de todas aquellas mujeres que lo dieron todo por igualdad entre todas las personas, entre todos los seres humanos. No reconocer esta realidad, que es parte imborrable de la historia, no es un acto de desmemoria, sino de cinismo.

Porque solo entrelazando nuestras manos lo conseguiremos.

Por las que fueron, por las que son y por las que serán. 

Construyamos el camino de la igualdad.

Sigamos el camino de la igualdad. 

Trabajemos por la igualdad.

Hagamos igualdad.

🇬🇧ENGLISH🇺🇸
8 MARCH: THE CRY FOR EQUALITY

The 8th March, International Women’s Day, is much more than just a date on the calendar. March 8th is the day on which a collective thunderous roar must be heard, a battle cry of «enough is enough» from all women everywhere and of all ethnicities, religions and cultures who have defied unfair social and legal norms every day to fight for their most basic and elementary rights.  Today is therefore a day to honour those women who devoted their lives and worked tirelessly, often in the shadows, without recognition and sometimes at the cost of their own lives, to break down all gender barriers in all aspects of life, from the home to the workplace, both in their personal lives and in the realm of public and social life.

From the beginnings of the French Revolution, with Olympe de Gouges and her Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Citizen in 1791, the pioneers of women’s suffrage in the 19th century such as Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, 20th century civil rights advocates such as Rosa Parks, Eleanor Roosevelt and Gloria Steinem, and 21st century women leaders such as Malala Yousafzai, Michelle Obama and Greta Thuberg, women have been at the forefront of the struggle for equality between women and men.

One such woman was Hansa Mehta, India’s delegate to the Paris Conference that drafted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Thanks to her work, she introduced in Article 1 of the Universal Declaration the formula «All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights», thus including women and men in equal rights, because of their equal and inviolable human dignity.

All these women, and many others, have demonstrated every day, time and again, that they are not only capable of leading and taking transcendental decisions for society as a whole, but that they are also absolutely essential for the progress of all humanity. And they have done so in the face of constant struggle in the face of adversity, courage and determination, and by inspiring generations of women around the world to follow in their footsteps in the quest for equality.

However, despite advances in gender equality, women still face many unfair challenges in our society. In the workplace, the pay gap is still evident. Women are still often paid less than men for doing the same work, and discrimination and harassment are still widespread. Not to mention the fact that in the vast majority of cases, women still carry a disproportionate burden of unpaid and invisible work, such as caring for children, the elderly and household chores.

For these reasons, International Women’s Day must be a deafening cry that pushes us to achieve recognition of all their efforts, to eradicate all obstacles and to reaffirm our unanimous commitment to continue working until full gender equality is achieved. Today is not just another day to celebrate the achievements of women throughout the history of humanity, it is also a reminder that there is still much to be done… AND IT WILL BE DONE.

We cannot forget that women are an integral and essential part of our economy and our society. Therefore, they deserve to be recognised and valued for their work. Hence, there is still a need for policies that support women in the workplace, equal pay for work of equal value, maternity protection, as well as defence against all forms of violence, discrimination and harassment.

We must continue to work towards building a global society where women are valued and respected in all aspects of life. This means challenging all gender stereotypes and promoting gender equality across the board not only in our homes, but also in educational institutions at all levels and in workplaces of all kinds and sectors.

On this day we must honour the women who paved the way for millions of people, the way for the equality of women and men. But let us not forget that the struggle for gender equality is not over yet. Everyone, no matter who they are, has the opportunity to play a vital role in promoting and defending gender equality, because only in this way will we ensure that no steps backwards in equality and rights are ever taken.

Advocacy for gender equality is a common task that needs our full attention and there are many ways in which anyone can contribute to achieving it. The first of these is education, because only through education that promotes gender equality from the outset can we challenge stereotypes and bring about the necessary socio-cultural change in which women will never again be undervalued or subjected to discrimination and violations of their human rights. It is therefore essential to support those women who are still deprived of the right to legitimate personal and professional development, those women and girls who are denied access to education, vocational training and the opportunity to show their enormous leadership capacity.

Of course, we must continue to advocate for policies that defend gender equality in the workplace and in all areas of society. This means ensuring active participation in decision-making and advocating for equality through political participation, through demonstrations and protests or through organisations that advocate for gender equality with governments and institutions.

The time of stereotypes must be in the past. Traditional gender roles must be banished forever and we must stand unconditionally on the side of all those women who still challenge the patriarchal roles that prevent their empowerment through diversity and inclusion. A diversity and inclusion that necessarily involves recognising the inherent rights of all women and among all women, of all men and among all men, of all human beings, without distinction of any kind, born free and equal in dignity and rights. And yes, trans women ARE WOMEN and therefore entitled to all the rights that are inherent to them as human beings. There can be no debate in this regard.

This day is much more than a reminder of the importance of continuing the struggle for equality within the global society. It is a day to celebrate the gains that have been made, to stop any attempts at regression and to face the challenges that remain. Challenges that will only be overcome if we work together for equal opportunities and prosperity for all people without excluding anyone.

Let us never forget that the greatest advances in human rights, fundamental rights and public freedoms for all people, whoever they may be, bear the imprint of feminism and of all those women who gave their all for equality among all people, among all human beings. Not recognising this reality, which is an indelible part of history, is not an act of forgetfulness, but of cynicism.

Because only by joining hands will we succeed.

For those who were, for those who are and for those who will be.

Let us build the road to equality.

Let us follow the path of equality.

Let us work for equality.

Let us make equality.