Advancing Women’s Rights

Women’s struggle for rights does not belong to a single feminist or any one organization but to the collective efforts of all who care about humanity. Improving overall living conditions—including health, education, and work—removing all sorts of disparities in the form of exploitation, fear, or harassment, and promoting impartiality in all aspects of life for women have been the aim of global efforts.

While significant progress has been made, many goals remain unfulfilled. Challenges persist in achieving income parity and increasing women’s involvement in political and economic decision-making. Issues like domestic violence and workplace harassment demand considerable attention and a steadfast commitment to the cause.

To ensure sustainable development, it is crucial to adhere to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Of particular importance are SDG 4, which focuses on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all, SDG 5, which targets gender equality, and SDG 11, which aims at creating sustainable cities and communities. Enhanced and focused efforts are needed to ensure women’s participation in all these areas.

This year’s International Women’s Day theme, ‘DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality,’ underscores the role of technological advancement in achieving gender equality and empowering women. By embracing innovation and technological change, and fostering education in the digital age, we can bridge the gender gap and promote women’s empowerment.

Incorporating women into the technology sector is a strategic approach to addressing gender equality. The lack of women’s inclusion in this domain has led to substantial revenue loss, particularly for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) over the past decades.

The success of women is intrinsically linked to the success of societies. There are no losers in this equation. Let us commit to this path and ensure that women’s rights and sustainable development go hand in hand.