Not just a day: Women in conflict and the ongoing struggle for justice

New Delhi, Mar 8: We celebrate every year the International Women’s Day with statements of support, and pledges for gender equality. Leaders make grand promises, social media platforms flood with empowering messages, and communities organise events to highlight women’s achievements. Yet, the very essence of respect and dignity that women deserve daily is reduced to a mere symbolic observance, one day of recognition amid a lifetime of struggle.

Across the world, women continue to face discrimination, violence, and systemic oppression. The reality for millions of women, particularly in conflict-ridden areas, remains bleak. we continue to hear drastic stories of women suffering and many times these incidents are overshadowed by political manoeuvring and international indifference.

Let us take the example of Afghanistan

The gender oppression today in Afghanistan is known to one and all. The Taliban’s return to power in 2021 has led to a systematic removal of women from public life. Women have been barred from attending universities, colleges, working in most sectors, and even traveling without a male guardian. The international community including international organisations like United Nations once vowed to stand by Afghan women, but today, hardly anyone talks about it. Their plight has been pushed to the periphery of global discourse where West Asia conflict or Russia -Ukarine conflict is more important. Hardly any Countries that once condemned the Taliban’s policies are now engaging in quiet diplomacy, prioritising geopolitical interests over human rights. If you talk to any Afghan women living outside Afghanistan, they narrate the stories of how Afghan women remain trapped in a cage of repression, their hopes of freedom dimming with each passing day.

Ukraine and Russia

The war between Ukraine and Russia has also exacted a devastating toll on women. There are hidden casualties of war. In Ukraine, women bear the burden of displacement, sexual violence, and economic hardship. Several newspapers have reported on sexual violence being used as a weapon of war in some cases. Most of the displaced women are grappling with trauma. In Russia, thousands of women have lost their husbands, brothers, and sons to conscription, forced to navigate life amid grief and uncertainty.

Gaza and Syria

We all know the death casualties in Gaza, since October 2023. The ongoing conflict has rendered women and children the primary victims. Thousands of women are living as widows. They continue to live under the shadow of war. Homes are destroyed, families torn apart, and basic necessities such as food and healthcare remain scarce. Think of the psychological toll of living in an endless cycle of bombings and blockades. It leaves you with a shiver. Single women not only struggle for survival but now have to shoulder the responsibility of caring for their families in the absence of social and economic support. In Syria, years of war have displaced millions of women and girls, many of whom have ended up in refugee camps where they are vulnerable to abuse, trafficking, and forced marriages. Education for young girls remains a luxury, and access to healthcare is minimal. The world once rallied for Syrian women, but today, their suffering barely makes headlines.

A Global Shame

The Silence of the International Community at a time when more than 60 countries are engulfed in conflicts, women’s rights have become collateral damage. The United Nations, once a vocal advocate for women in conflict, appears to have lost momentum in its efforts. The promises of global leaders ring hollow when millions of women remain invisible, their suffering unaddressed.

Other than conflict zones, women also continue to suffer domestic violence. In many countries, discrimination at their workplace is sometimes not paid or underpaid for their labour. Most women work tirelessly at home without secondary support and without acknowledgement of their contributions, which are taken for granted by their family members.

Let us all vow to move beyond symbolism and be part of Action to support them. International Women’s Day should not be reduced to performative gestures and fleeting attention. If we truly believe in women’s empowerment, our commitment must extend beyond March 8. Governments and international organisations and more so our society must uphold their pledges, and prioritise women’s rights, and the world must refuse to turn a blind eye to those suffering in silence. If we, as a so-called modern society, cannot protect and uplift women in conflict zones, then our progress is an illusion. Women’s rights are human rights, and until every woman, regardless of where she lives, is free and equal, our humanity remains incomplete.