March 8 is the world’s international women’s day and 2019 theme is tagged “Balance for better”. Every time issues about women is raised, some men become defensive, like “why is it all about the women?”

Truth be told, the gender inequality has been existing for centuries and the real problem has nothing to do with women taking over the roles of men. Most Culture and traditions of different tribes in the world have more rules and customs that easily marginalize women. This marginalization made women vulnerable to all kinds of societal ills like rape, physical assaults, genital mutilation, teenage pregnancies and so forth.

From ab initio till 2019, we have come a long way especially in trying to find a balance between the sexes. Seeking for a balance is not asking for a gender war or gender take over, but it is a plea that girls, women, should be treated like a person not as an object to use as it pleases.

As a woman, I know that the male gender go through their own challenges, mentally, physically, sexually, e.t.c. I also know there are places where male children are subjected to different kinds of degradation and abuse. There is no point trying to compare which gender suffers the most abuse but that victimization should not continue.

Just being a woman already places you at a very vulnerable point that you can be subjected to anything without your consent and you are sworn to silence because you are a woman. Also, most males are not taught how to handle and respect the females, so they treat women and girls the way they know best.

So to bring the much needed balance between the genders, every family should learn to educate their sons on how to respect and protect females. The males should learn to seek the consent of the females especially when it comes to sex. Sexual pervasion should be looked into and dealt as emergency, little girls should be able to live in peace without the fear of rape from their fathers or close relations or even strangers. Females should learn to stand together and not tear each other down. Mothers should listen to things that their daughters are not saying. Its easier to ignore the fire than to admit that your house is burning right under your nose.

For the females, the balance between the genders is not a call to go into gender wars. Some women these days see the gender issue as an avenue to be irresponsible and abuse the privilege of being a woman. The gender balance is not a call for women to take over from men or to blame the male gender for their mistakes, but a need to join forces to treat women as humans too.

Women have come a long way but we all have a longer way to go to achieve this balance. There should be fairness in how matters affecting women are treated. All kinds of sexual abuse even from husbands and intimate partners should be treated as urgent, child marriages and teenage pregnancies should be looked into.

We are all humans and each of us should treat each other with respect. None should be abused in the name of gender. Let’s work towards balance for a better world.

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY!