March 8th, 2022, marks the annual celebration of International Women’s Day, a moment of recognition for women’s achievements in science, industry, culture and government – and also a time to advocate for advancements that will create equality with men under this year’s theme: "Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Future".
According to the Baháʼí Writings, equality between the sexes will herald the day when women have an equal voice, and only then will the human race be released from its proclivity for war. In the Baháʼí view the ascendancy of women is critical to us all.
"The Son of the Prophet Founder of the Baháʼí Faith, Abdu'l-Bahá wrote:
“Equality between men and women is conducive to the abolition of warfare for the reason that women will never be willing to sanction it. Mothers will not give their sons as sacrifices upon the battlefield after twenty years of anxiety and loving devotion in rearing them from infancy, no matter what cause they are called upon to defend. There is no doubt that when women obtain equality of rights, war will entirely cease among mankind.”
In order to promote universal accord, women not only need wider opportunities for education and employment, but also for social equity, voting rights, protection from violence and assault and increased understanding of their mental and physiological needs through all stages of life. Above all, mothers need a voice in the halls of governance and justice as they call out for universal peace and prosperity, for protection of the young and vulnerable.
The attainment of this noble goal is impossible so long as women, who constitute 51% of the world’s population, are first to feel the pain of economic upheaval and most readily left without sufficient housing, food, heat, proper clothing, or access to medical care.
Women are increasingly being recognised as more vulnerable to climate change than men since they constitute the majority of the world’s poor and are more dependent on the natural resources which climate change threatens the most.
Economic parity is the key to unlocking the future, particularly in more rural economies where women and children automatically feel the greatest impact of economic or climate crises. Because they normally have less access to basic resources, they already spend most of their time finding food, water and fuel for essential needs, suffering worse hardship than anyone else.
Collective gender equality will empower women to be heard and heeded, to be equal players in decision-making relative to the world’s larger issues.
Without equality today, a sustainable future for all remains out of reach.
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