On The Question of Equality for Women

It is another international women's day. 24 inadequate hours, in which we celebrate the wonderful gift of nature that is the womenfolk.

This, being the 22nd year of the 21st century, it is becoming increasingly clear that women around the world are no longer content with being kept at the margin, playing second fiddle and set up as icons of weakness and fragility.

One great consequence of that growing awareness is seen in the demand, worldwide, for equal economic rights and opportunities for women and men.

Louder, as the voices for this demand get, there are still issues for concern about how women can play their role as major executors in the procreation of our specie without incurring significant losses on their career and economic fronts; losses that contribute in no small amount to the overall economic and social disadvantage women suffer.

Now, this is an area where their ancestors have exemplified the sacrificial nature for which the womenfolk are now famous. If this generation of women hope to hand down improved economic chances as a legacy to their descendants, however, they must address this natural disadvantage and ways to make up for it.

There are examples already of women who demand from their partners, compensation for the economic losses they incur in the process of becoming mothers. The question, from my end, is not whether or not women deserve a cushion from the economic blow being mothers deals on them. They obviously do. And, let's face it. Procreation is definitely important to every economy. So, why are the major players in what is essentially an economic activity not duly compensated for their part?

The era of giving women handouts as concessions which amount to nothing but crumbs from the table is fast approaching an end. True commitment to the cause of equality for women must now be seen in the greater demands on societies, governments, and organizations to see women's contribution to procreation in the economic terms of opportunity and cost. That is the only way forward in the search for equality for women.

Happy International Women’s Day.