Fighting for Women’s Rights: It’s More than Just a Single Day
By Ashley, High School Organizer
International Women's Day (IWD), like every other day that singles out a group of people for special recognition, is an interesting concept. What does such a day call for? Does it mean we should go out of our way to treat women kindly only on one day? Acknowledge our selfless hard work just one out of 365 days? Treat each other with respect only one day a year? One way to support women for more than just the day is to urge your senators and Congressional representative to support the PATHWAY Act.
According to UNAIDS’ “Women and HIV/AIDS” women account for half of all people living with HIV worldwide. In sub-Saharan Africa, 57 percent of adults with HIV are women, and young women aged 15 to 24 are more than three times as likely to be infected as young men. Yet, worldwide, women know less than men about how HIV/AIDS is transmitted and how to prevent infection.
This is why I feel it so important that we rally support for the Protection Against Transmission of HIV for Women and Youth (PATHWAY) Act, a bill that calls for the development of a comprehensive HIV prevention strategy that incorporates the specific needs of women and girls, and especially addresses the factors that lead to gender disparities in developing countries. Getting your senators and congressional representative to co-sponsor PATHWAY is one way to help educate women and girls about ways to protect themselves from contracting HIV, as well as a way to show your support for women year-round.
I believe that the International Women’s Day has its place even if only to celebrate the progress women have made around the world and highlight what still needs to be done. For women faced with everyday inequities, this day is an occasion to recognize how far we have come in our struggle for equality, peace and development, and I love that. I just hope that we can carry this feeling of celebration throughout the other 364 days of the year. Unless we work together, we can never solve our most serious social, economic and health problems, including HIV and AIDS. So on March 8th celebrate women and our accomplishments in all their glory (as I will), but don't let it be the only day you do so. Don't excuse yourself from creating change. Start by telling your senators and representative to support the PATHWAY Act!
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