On International Women’s Day, the Bahá’í Chair for World Peace joins in the celebration of women and girls everywhere. We stand in recognition of the crucial role women play in creating more just and peaceful societies. We stand in solidarity with women, celebrating the progress women have made, and recognizing how much still remains to be done.
One of the Chair’s primary focus is the Empowerment of Women and Peace. Today, more women than ever hold positions of power and influence, and laws are being changed to ensure gender equality. Yet women still make up only 23.7% of representation in national parliaments across the world.
Recent global analysis have also demonstrated the disproportionate effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on women. Women have faced higher rates of job loss in comparison to men; the number of employed women has declined by 54 million, and 45 million women have left the labor force completely.
Climate change also threatens women’s progress. This year’s United Nations International Women’s Day Theme is “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”; the theme highlights the links between gender, social equity, and climate change. The United Nations is working hard to boost women’s inclusion in creating the solutions to climate change.
But whether climate change, social equality, or the lingering effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, women’s contributions to the world cannot be ignored. If we are to form a more just and harmonious civilization, we must amplify women’s voices.
At the Bahá’í Chair for World Peace we believe women are an essential part of the creation of ANY solution to removing the barriers to global peace. Women’s full participation must be guaranteed if we are ever to achieve a better world. Access to education and equality of opportunity are required. Removing the old systems of oppression and repression must take place. And men and women must be viewed and treated as equals – not just in word but in action.
Our series on the Empowerment of Women and Peace is focused on amplifying women’s contributions to the world; we are showcasing scholars focused on the solutions to the problems of gender inequality. You can view all of the lectures in the series on our YouTube channel here.
About the Author:
Professor Hoda Mahmoudi holds the Bahá’í Chair for World Peace at the University of Maryland. Dr. Mahmoudi develops a sound scientific basis for knowledge and strategies that explore the role of social actors and structures in removing obstacles to peace and creating paths to a better world. For more information about Hoda: Bahá’í Chair for World Peace website.
You can find out more about the Bahá’í Chair by watching our video here.
Banner Image Credit: Burcu Köleli for UN Women