Women all year round.

Each and every year on the 8 th of March we hear nice words about women and our role in society being lauded and elevated for the occasion. We hear the same rhetoric which in a way is positive.

However, such words do not improve the situation of many women who are in distress. Women, who day after day are victims of all sorts of violence, succumbing to outbursts of rage and believing to be the culprits themselves of such situations when in fact and reality they are the victims. The legal framework to protect women and children has improved considerably over the years. There is still much to be done and this applies more so to the need for more shelters and places where victims may run to in order to protect themselves in such circumstances.

No matter how much we improve structure-wise, we still have a bigger hurdle to overcome. We have to strive more to instil a culture of zero tolerance to violence especially within domestic walls.

Unfortunately, victims of violence do not always feel safe to open up; often tending to accept their fate with resignation. The message to these women is to stand up with courage. Women’s day should not just be an occasion to exchange mimoses but a manifestation of solidarity to our sisters in distress.