There are seven billions inhabitants in the world, seven billions definitions of a woman. Motherhood, caregiver, fragile, sexy, femininity, guilty, purity and many others… Sadly, majority of these seven billions forget a very basic reality; above all, she is a human. She breathes, she feels, she loves, she hates, she cries, she protests… She is not a material he or the community can decide upon. Nevertheless, the reality in our beloved world is not the case. The ways the women are treated is nothing more than a shameful list. If you like to see this reality reflected upon your life, take a walk in your city today; what you will see in different corners of Europe will be all about beauty discounts, jewelery, free beauty products, fancy clothing, painted beauty all around… Is femininity only about these things? The answer is a big no. What we indeed have is a history of struggle against all of this. We dream for equality, parity and respect for each one of us from Afghanistan to Canada, from Bhutan to Chile.
Have you ever thought about what does it mean to be a woman and going for a walk at the evening in Barcelona, Istanbul, Berlin, or the capital of Europe, Brussels? Have you ever thought what if you were born somewhere in the Middle East and being sold for some money? Have you ever thought about sex workers, have you ever thought about girls who are retained from education? Put yourself into their shoes for a moment… The reality is depressing, isn’t it? The reality is to be changed. The reality, in the first place should not be brought up only on 8th of every March, the reality should not be tackled by the media only when a woman pays the price with her life. The cases should be discussed, solutions should be offered, governments should be poked every now and then. How? By you, by me, by AEGEE, by every one of us.
Dear Women of the world, of AEGEE, I wish you a happy day when we will all enjoy our basic rights, a happy day which is seemingly not today.
‘’ I am woman watch me grow, see me standing toe to toe, as I spread my loving arms across the land, but I’m still an embryo, with a long, long way to go, Until I make my brother understand…’’