Women’s Day is here, and once again, we witness the outpouring of appreciation, recognition, and accolades for women all over the world. From grand events and conferences to special discounts on products adorned with flowers and pink ribbons, the world puts on its best show.
Businesses, governments, and organizations scramble to demonstrate their commitment to women’s empowerment, offering everything from heartfelt speeches to symbolic gestures.
For one glorious day, the struggles women face fade into the background as they are celebrated, honored, and praised for their strength and resilience. But once the balloons deflate and the celebrations come to a close, the reality sets in—women are still fighting the same battles they’ve fought for decades.
Women’s Day, with its promises and proclamations, may seem like a step forward, but is it really? We cheer and hand out discounts, but the struggles that women face in their daily lives are far from resolved. There are still countless stories of women like Prakriti Lamsal, a bright student whose tragic death is raising more questions than answers, and Rinku Sada, a young woman whose life was violently cut short.
These are not isolated cases; they’re harsh reminders that we have a long way to go in the fight for women’s safety and equality. And then, there are the chilling news stories of newborns discarded like trash, a stark reminder of how much work is still needed to change societal attitudes and ensure the safety of women and children alike.
So, while the world gives out flowers and applause today, the question lingers: Are we truly celebrating women, or are we merely paying lip service to the idea of equality, while the underlying issues continue to fester?
Women’s Day has become a day of performances, not progress. Corporations, eager to tap into the lucrative market of social causes, offer up their token discounts. We’ve all seen the billboards, the sales, the branded hashtags that flood our social media feeds—“Celebrating Women!” they proclaim, as if these fleeting moments of recognition will erase the systemic barriers women face daily.
And it’s not just businesses that get caught in the web of superficiality. Governments and organizations host conferences and seminars, each offering their own version of progress, often failing to address the deep-rooted issues that continue to plague women. The truth remains: one day of acknowledgement isn’t enough. It doesn’t make up for years of inequality, violence, and underrepresentation.
In reality, the fight for women’s rights extends far beyond the flowery speeches and celebratory hashtags. The rise in violent crimes against women, such as the tragic cases of Prakriti Lamsal and Rinku Sada, are all too familiar and remind us that no amount of platitudes can shield women from the daily risks they face.
These tragic stories are not just isolated incidents; they reflect a broader societal problem where women are often treated as disposable, as less-than, and as unimportant. The systemic issues of domestic violence, workplace harassment, gender-based pay gaps, and more continue to persist, with little real change despite the outward gestures of acknowledgment.
Women are still unsafe. Women are still undervalued. The question we must ask ourselves is: how much longer will we allow this cycle of empty gestures to continue? It’s not enough to offer discounts or post about women’s achievements for one day.
Real change demands consistent, long-term action. True equality is about making spaces safer, advocating for policy changes that protect women, ensuring equal pay for equal work, and dismantling the ingrained biases that still permeate every aspect of society—from the home to the workplace and beyond.
So, what would a true celebration of Women’s Day look like? It would be more than just hashtags and events; it would be about action. It would be a day where every woman, not just for 24 hours, but for every single day of the year, is treated with the respect, dignity, and equality she deserves.
It would be a day where we reflect on the real changes that need to be made and take tangible steps toward ensuring that the issues facing women—be it violence, discrimination, or inequality—are addressed, not just celebrated for the sake of appearances.
This Women’s Day, let’s make it about more than just a moment of recognition. Let’s make it about commitment—commitment to real change, commitment to creating a world where women no longer live in fear, where their voices are heard, and their contributions are valued, not just for a day, but every day.
So, as we commemorate this day, let’s also resolve to take action in our own lives. Happy Women’s Day—but this time, let’s celebrate it by working toward a world where Women’s Day isn’t just a day, but a way of life.
Let’s celebrate women by doing the hard work of dismantling the systems that continue to hold them back, by speaking out against violence, by closing the pay gap, and by championing the true equality that every woman deserves.
