Significance Of Women’s Day Celebration By Dorcas Otuokere

On a visit to Dr. Mma Olebara’s office, she exposed me to the beauty of womanhood. She defined the mother’s day as celebrated by the Catholic and Anglican churches on Sunday March 31, 2019, as a day set aside for each family to honour their mother with the children paying special respect to their mothers, presenting gifts, flowers and cards to their mothers as a show of appreciation for all her cares and love throughout the year.

The writer, counselor and opinion molder who is an epitome of woman activist said that, it is easy to be a mother but being a good one is where the challenge lies. “It is easy to bear children but training them very well and in the fear of God is where the challenge lies for every mother. Women are special beings that engage in 24 hours job, daily, for the betterment of the family and society”, she lectured.

Going by the roles our women play as home keepers, great influences, nation builders and life changers, what shall we do to appreciate them? There is need to eliminate discrimination against women. Women should be allowed to gain full and equal participation in global development. The subjugation and inequality are still very prominent, especially in developing countries, including Nigeria.

There are many problems facing the African women. The high rate of girl child abuse, rape, domestic violence and sexual harassment is quite alarming. The African women are still been mal-treated and de-humanized. Some women’s rights are abused or distorted. Widows in some parts of Africa have been subjected to obnoxious and hideous practices. Some young women have died prematurely because of undue maltreatments even from their fellow women in the name of upholding a barbaric culture

We need to be sober on every women’s day, reflecting on the contributions of women as well as their sufferings. It is painful that some men no longer live upto their responsibilities. Some wives and mothers pay the bills, bear children and care for them, take care of domestic chores and even handle extended family challenges, yet still in want of love and gratitude. The Bible says that “women are help mates”. You will only help someone that is doing something not one that is folding his arms.

Let us visualize this situation. A man returns home after the day’s activities and there is no wife, mother, sister or daughter to welcome him. There is no feminine face to talk to. The man will feel a depth of loneliness within. There is an inward bliss that comes from women.

Since decades, women had struggled and are still fighting to express their right to speech, to vote, to equity, to education, to income and most importantly to freedom or liberation from cultural and religious bondage.

Just as the theme for 2019 International Women’s Day 2019 was “think equal, build smart, innovate for change”. Let us in one accord fight injustice, discrimination and inequality that still continue to plague our society.