Why it is Important to Support Women Using Their Voice
Women’s rights is a fragile topic that most people would rather not discuss to avoid offending anyone, and its usually those on the opposing side of the discrimination that get offended because the don’t understand the various forms of difficulties that women have had to face as a result of being denied their rights to bare minimums. It is ridiculous to hear that in this age and time, women are still fighting for their reproductive rights based on her choices concerning childbirth and her access to birth control is being threatened by non-involved third parties with biased ideologies. There are cases where women are being denied access to education because she would eventually get married and it would all be in vain. In some areas young girls are still being given up for marriage for the parents or guardian to receive financial compensation. Women have also been denied individual access to facilities if unable to provide a male counterpart, they have not been giving integrity and autonomy to hold public offices either, or receive as much salary as their male co-workers on the same job. Unfortunately, majority of cases involving domestic violence and sexual violence are usually crimes against women and the numbers seem to be increasing.
Women are not just asking for equality, there are demanding for their rights to be at peace with their nature as women and be taken seriously in regards to whatever she decides to do and whomever she decides to be without having to be underestimated or stigmatized in the society. Not everyone has the confidence to address the unnecessary conditions that most women are being forced to thrive through because they are either conditioned to accept women as a lesser gender or they’re not exposed to enough knowledge that simply counteract the average ideas that challenge the possibilities of a woman’s exceptionalism. It happens to be that the movement to empower women’s rights is being delayed by mostly social factors especially societal perceptions that limit the potential of a women’s role in any environment where she is planted and invested in.
Supporting women is an opportunity to make a real difference is someone’s life through any means possible, whether by partaking or financially supporting a movement working towards women’s empowerment, supporting a business that uplifts and lessens the burden of an everyday woman, educating the young and old of all genders about women’s right to be regarded and recognized as a voice that is as loud as that of the patriarchy, yet both coexisting in absolute harmony. So when you find yourself in a position to use your voice in assisting a woman, please do so, speak up for her in any environments where she’s being oppressed and treated unfairly because she’s a woman.
Women are fighting a war where it is expected from them to always compensate in trying situation. Women go by everyday with the need to prove a point, that her decisions are not controlled by her sensitivity and she’s just as efficient. The healthiest way to win this is by protecting the women in our lives, supporting each other and speaking up for ourselves and each other through every means possible, because when you bring a daughter into this world you will want to be certain that there are facilities and communities committed to aiding and teaching women to not necessarily see themselves as merely competitions or possible replacements rather they should learn to work hand in hand to achieve a common goal.
With platforms like @periodrichorg @nwaanyimag, @politicsforher, that educate the general public on basic human rights, women are learning to get comfortable by engaging and sharing experiences that they have to survive everyday, thereby creating a form of support system that exposes the facts that women don’t have to go through things that make them feel objectified.
We should learn to encourage the voices and platforms that carry the appropriate knowledge on basic human and women’s rights. Women should not be imposed with biased ways of thinking, rather they should be allowed to air their thoughts and opinions in interested areas. If there’s anyone reluctant to support the advocacy of women’s right, they should ask the important questions to be sure whether their reluctance is based on what society would find appalling or on what is morally and factually right.
About the author:
Wendy Philips Dika is a 25 years old writer, who graduated from History and International Studies at Gregory University, Uturu, Abia State, Nigeria. She is Originally from Cameroon but grew in Nigeria as an advocate for women’s rights from personal encounter of not being explore her basic human rights due to gender biased reasons and feels overall compassion towards women that have had to survive harsh conditions because of gender based discrimination. She speaks up about human and women’s rights as much as she can with hopes that her contribution brings women closer to attaining their freedom to exist completely because women’s rights are human rights.
