BEYOND THE APPLAUSE

women

Each year in March, women are praised and highlighted in colourful campaigns. Yet once the banners are taken down, many women return to lives shaped by inequality, insecurity, unpaid labour, unsafe spaces and limited choices. Celebration without change has begun to feel empty. Women do not need louder applause. They need quieter, deeper and lasting reforms that reach into their everyday realities.

Safety remains the most basic need. This does not refer only to protection from violence. It also means freedom from daily fear. Many women still plan their routes carefully, hesitate before using public transport at night and think twice before challenging unfair treatment at work or online. Living with constant caution is exhausting. Safety should be built into cities, workplaces, schools and digital platforms. Proper lighting, reliable public transport and responsive policing, are basic requirements for a fair society.

Economic security is another requirement. Many women work long hours yet remain financially vulnerable. The gender pay gap continues to exist, often hidden behind complex job titles, informal contracts or unequal promotion practices. Women are more likely to be in part-time, temporary or low-paid roles, particularly after becoming mothers. They need fair pay, transparent salary structures and flexible working arrangements.

Unpaid labour remains one of the largest silent burdens carried by women. Cooking, cleaning, caring for children, supporting elderly parents and tending to sick family members are still widely expected of them, even when they are employed full-time. This care work holds families and communities together, yet it is rarely valued properly or shared equally. Women do not need praise for managing everything at once. They need systems that recognise care as real work. Affordable childcare, accessible elder care and paid parental leave for both parents are not distant goals. They are practical steps that would change daily life immediately.

Healthcare continues to reflect deep gaps in understanding women’s needs. Women are still underrepresented in medical research, which can lead to misdiagnosis and delayed treatment.

Women need healthcare systems that listen carefully, research that includes them fully and services that respect their bodies and decisions.

As for education, in some regions, girls still struggle to complete basic schooling due to poverty or social pressure. In other places, they are encouraged towards certain paths deemed suitable while being subtly discouraged from leadership, science, technology or politics. Even highly qualified women can face bias that limits advancement.

Women appear more frequently in media, politics and business than in previous generations; however, their presence can sometimes be symbolic. One woman in a room of decision-makers does not transform the structure of power. They need genuine influence and authority.

Digital harassment is another issue. Women use online spaces to learn, work, connect and organise. At the same time, they face harassment, threats and abuse. Online violence is often dismissed as less serious than physical harm; yet its psychological effects can be severe.

Mental wellbeing is another area that deserves attention. Burnout is common, especially among those women who are balancing paid work and caregiving. Women need reasonable workloads, supportive communities and permission to rest without shame.

Many women move constantly between responsibilities, rarely pausing. Their schedules are full of paid work, unpaid care, emotional support and social obligations. Personal time is treated as a reward rather than a right. Fairer sharing of responsibilities, realistic expectations and respect for boundaries would return precious hours to their lives.

Older women also deserve greater attention. Public discussion often centres on youth, while ageing women may experience loneliness, financial insecurity and health difficulties in silence. Their contributions are frequently overlooked. Equality must extend across the whole lifespan, ensuring dignity, support and connection in later years.

Legal rights exist in many countries, yet access to justice can be uneven. Women facing discrimination or violence may struggle with cost, time and fear of re-traumatisation. Laws are meaningful only when they are enforced effectively. Women need accessible legal support and institutions that treat them with respect.

Cultural change is slower than legal reform but equally necessary. From childhood, girls may be encouraged to be quiet and accommodating, while boys are urged to be bold. These messages shape expectations in adulthood. Changing attitudes within families, schools and the media is an essential for lasting progress.

Men must also be active partners in this work. Gender equality benefits everyone. Sharing care responsibilities, challenging harmful behaviour and questioning outdated norms are shared duties. Progress cannot rest solely on women pushing against barriers.

Beyond applause and symbolic gestures, women need systems that function fairly, cultures that value them fully and policies that reflect their lived experiences. When basic rights and opportunities no longer require constant struggle, celebration will carry meaning. Until then, the sincerest tribute is not flowers or speeches, but steady and measurable change.

The writer is a seasoned journalist and a communications professional. He can be reached at [email protected]