International Women’s Day: Celebrating Strength, Acknowledging Struggles, and Moving Forward Together

International Women’s Day is a powerful moment to pause and reflect, not just on how far women have come, but on the road still ahead. In many ways, this day is about celebration: the resilience of women, the sacrifices of those before us, and the communities of mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends who lift each other up. But it’s also a time for recognition of the work still to be done, the injustices that persist, and the ongoing fight for women to be valued, respected, and supported, no matter where they are in the world.

The Beauty of Women Supporting Women

One of the most remarkable things about womanhood is the ability to nurture and build community. As mothers, we see it in the way we instinctively protect our children. As friends, we see it in the way we show up for each other. As professionals, we see it in the way we celebrate each other’s successes.

For so many of us, our lives revolve around giving. We pour into our children, our partners, our homes, our workplaces, our friendships. We show up, day after day, often putting our own needs second (or last). This is the beauty of being a woman but it’s also the burden. This is because in so many ways, women are expected to be strong, to carry the weight, to be everything to everyone. And yet, even in this strength, women across the world are still fighting for the most basic of rights.

For Some, Progress. For Others, a Battle Not Yet Won.

In many parts of the world, women now have more opportunities than ever before. We are building businesses, leading industries, advocating for change, and shaping the future. But at the same time, millions of women still live in environments where education, safety, and autonomy are not guaranteed.

• There are places where a girl’s right to education is still up for debate.

• There are cultures where women’s voices are silenced, their freedoms restricted, their futures dictated.

• There are societies where violence against women is the norm, where speaking up comes with a risk too great to bear.

It’s a stark contrast to the privileges many of us enjoy. And as we celebrate International Women’s Day, we must hold both truths at once: that we honor the progress made, while also recognising the pain and fight still present for so many.

Motherhood and the Silent Struggles

As a mother, I see firsthand how the world still undervalues the role of women in the home. Raising a family is one of the most challenging, important, and all-consuming jobs there is, and yet, it’s often dismissed as “just” being a stay-at-home mum. The weight of motherhood, the sleepless nights, the emotional labor, the mental load, is invisible to many.

And for working mothers, the challenge is just as heavy. The expectation to be fully present at work and fully present at home, to somehow balance it all without dropping a single ball, is an impossible standard that society continues to place on women.

Even in progressive spaces, we see how difficult it can be for women to be both. To have careers without guilt. To be mothers without judgment. To ask for support without being seen as weak.

True Empowerment Means Choice

The real goal of women’s progress isn’t to say every woman should want the same things. It’s to create a world where every woman has the freedom to choose the life she wants, without fear, limitation, or societal pressure.

• If a woman wants to build an empire, she should be encouraged and supported to do so.

• If a woman wants to dedicate her life to raising children, that should be seen as the monumental contribution to society that it is.

• If a woman wants neither, and chooses a different path entirely, her decision should be without question.

Empowerment isn’t about pushing one lifestyle over another. It’s about respecting the choices of all women and ensuring those choices are truly theirs to make.

Raising the Next Generation of Women (and Men)

One of the most powerful things we can do as mothers is raise children who understand, respect, and advocate for equality. Whether we are raising sons or daughters, we have the opportunity to shape how they see the world.

For our daughters, we show them their worth, not in how they look, or what they achieve, but in the depth of their kindness, the power of their voices, and the strength of their convictions.

For our sons, we need to teach them that respect for women isn’t just a phrase, it’s an action. It’s in how they treat their peers, how they value emotions, and how they challenge the systems that seek to hold women back. This is how change happens. It’s not just in policies and protests, but in the everyday conversations, the small lessons, the values we pass down.

Raising Boys to Respect Women

Raising two toddler boys has been the most exhausting, rewarding, and eye-opening experience of my life. My days are filled with rough-and-tumble play, sticky hands reaching for mine, and the kind of chaos that only brothers close in age can bring. But beyond the noise and energy, I see my greatest responsibility, to raise them to be kind, compassionate, and respectful men.

In our home, respect isn’t just something we plainly teach through words; it’s something we model. My husband and I strive to show them what partnership looks like, from sharing responsibilities to speaking to each other with kindness. We talk about emotions, about listening, about valuing others, especially the women in their lives. Lessons are small and subtle now, given their young age but we aim to continue demonstrating and teaching for as long as we can as they grow into men. I want them to grow up knowing that strength isn’t just in muscles but in character, in how they treat people, in standing up for what’s right. It’s my hope that by the time they’re grown, they’ll move through the world as men who uplift and respect women, not because they were told to, but because they understand why it matters.

A Call to Keep Moving Forward

On this International Women’s Day, let’s hold space for all women:

• The ones who fought for the rights we enjoy today.

• The ones who are still fighting for the most basic freedoms.

• The ones who are breaking barriers in their industries.

• The ones who are raising children with love and intention.

• The ones who are struggling silently, unseen and unheard.

We still have a long way to go, but change is possible when women stand together. When we lift each other up instead of tearing each other down. When we advocate for one another, even when our lives look different. When we recognise that true equality isn’t just about what’s already been won, but about ensuring all women, everywhere, get to experience the same.

So today, we celebrate. We reflect. And most importantly, we continue forward, together.