“Why do we even need a Women’s History Month?” I’ve heard skeptical women my own age ask. Perhaps that’s because we are the beneficiaries of a long – and on-going – struggle for equal rights. We grew up in a world where women have the right to vote, where domestic violence is considered a crime. That was not always so, and still is not the case in many places in the world.

I stand in solidarity with all women fighting for equal rights, including the right to live free of abuse. The fact is that women, throughout their lives, are overwhelming and disproportionately victims of violence. There are so many reasons this is so, including unjust systems and entrenched attitudes. We need to recognize that the struggle continues. We need to drive change.

In spite of accounting for more than half the world’s population, women have been invisible in history books and halls of power. In my mind, Women’s History Month serves as one way to shine a light on the achievements and struggles of women over the centuries and around the globe. It reminds us to keep clamoring for justice.

Maliha Janjua

Program Supervisor

Women Aware