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 International
Women's Day: March 8, 2004
Women Empowerment
Today’s Vision for
Tomorrow’s Mission
In a
globalizing world, gender equality
And empowerments of women are vital tools-
To achieve sustainable developments of societies,
And are even admitted by the fools!
Still, the violence towards women is an epidemic
Against which no country is immune-
And today, we face the greater challenges
Of human rights and a non-melodious tune!
Development strategies will fail, unless women
Become the central players of the game-
And must be included in all policies of peacemaking
And reconstruction without a shame!
Women suffer disproportionately from impacts
Of armed conflict around the world today-
While rape, forced pregnancies, sexual slavery
And varied assaults have kept them at bay!
In the arena of politics, the poor are excluded
From governance, regardless of the gender-
And women are victims of other people’s decisions
’Cause they are assumed to be tender!
So the entire spectrum of women’s roles
To combat poverty, hunger, and disease-
Need to be re-examined under the new
Millennium lights before the roles decease!
Impacts of modern conflicts now affect
The global women and girls without a doubt-
But they’re neither initiators nor prosecutors
Of conflicts, or matching game of shout!
Determined efforts must be taken to end
The impunity surrounding this lamentable claw-
And the perpetrators must be brought to justice,
And told that they are not above the law!
As a messenger of peace, I walk alone
In my memory lanes to watch the moonlit nights-
While my voice quivers in agony for the women
Of developing nations and their plights!
Basic standards of dignity, equality,
And humanity have been trampled over-
To oppress the women’s rights, where
The civilized minds must now hover!
Men need education on the rights of women
And keep them free from violence or abuse-
And must recognize their roles in every walk of life,
Without losing their “mental fuse”!
Remember, violence against women is not a
“Women’s issue” alone but it affects us all-
While the grounds for tolerance of such impunity
Or lamentable act must cease and fall!
I am assured, no peace strategy is likely to be
Durable in absence of the women’s role-
And the men must hear the perspectives
Of the women towards the reconciliation soul!
We should capitalize on the beneficial impetus
That women and girls can bring-
In conflict resolution and peace building,
Without the attachment of any string!
Studies show that globalization may contribute
To make the women’s rights better known-
But the negative impact and publicity are awesome
And on reports they are neatly shown!
Criminal networks continue to traffic women
As sexual exploitation and cheap labor-
Around the world today, via modern technologies
And are reaping the money’s flavor!
Democracy, in my mind, will be democracy
Only if it is the true representation of all-
And women of the community need to be allowed
To voice their opinions, large or small!
The tunnel visions about the women’s roles
And abilities have to change-
If we want to build a better future,
And this is my call from a close range!
To reduce gender inequality, women have immersed
In politics more than ever before-
And are making headways to prove “sink or swim”
Till they reach the political shore!
Yet, statistics reveal that politics continues
To be a bastion of male domination still today-
Even in countries where women, active in male areas
Like business, are disallowed to say!
Women of developed nations have engaged
Conscience and consciousness of world now-
To serve as engines of progress for women
Of developing nations with an indelible vow!
Still a change of mentalities and attitudes
Towards women is a crying need of the hour-
By eliminating rape and violence, while honoring
Their basic rights and protective power!
Let’s focus today’s vision towards a society
Built by strength of its women, young or old-
And honor their role in peace and security
Instead of as commodity that needs to be sold!
Let us undertake arduous searches to clear
Any obstacle to promote the women’s rights-
And erect bridges rather than walls, to achieve
Tomorrow’s mission, on aesthetic sights!
Friends, the fight has just begun for the
Women’s right and gender equality as well-
To promote energy and effervescence
Throughout the world where thoughts will swell!
Today I offer my unstinting support
In a non-violent way to create the culture of peace-
And encourage the men to harness the powers
Of women that we can’t afford to miss!!!!
–
Hillol Ray
February 29, 2004
International Women's Day -
March 8, 2004
Articles
Females: Superior by Choice, Design and Default
by Gaurang Bhatt, MD
Getting Behind Abuse by Linda Light
It's All About Women by Elayne Clift
New Enemy Threatens Baby Girls by Manipadma
Jena
No Turning Back by Kalyani Menon-Sen
Single Moms by Choice by V. Radhika
Towards Freedom From Fear by Malvika Kaul
Poetry
Beacon of Hope by Neria
Harish Hebbar, MD
Mothers Never Die by Michael Levy
Woman by Pavalamani Pragasam
Women Empowerment: Today's Vision for
Tomorrow's Mission by Hillol Ray
International Women's
Day - March 2001
Ah! Women by Roberta Lee Wilcox
Ahilya - A poem by Manisha Bansal
And the International Women's Day was Born by Meera
Chowdhry
Being A Woman by Manisha Kulshreshtha
How to be a Woman, though a Human by Sangeeta Goel
March 8th - International Women's Day by Pavalamani
Pragasam
Most Beautiful Things
about Women by Smitha V
Mother Teresa: Woman of
the Century by Bijal Dwivedi
Musings of a Lady - A poem by Maria Reed-Shore
Nari 2001 by Lavanya Shah
Nevertheless - A poem by Manisha Bansal
Thoughts on Women's Day by Gargi Chaudhuri
What you can Never
Understand about Women by Smitha V
Women: Symbols of Sacrifice or Sacrificial Lambs? by
Meenakshi Madhur
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