The United Nation’s theme for 2025 resonates deeply within me: For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment. Similarly, with the theme of www.internationalwomensday.com which is Accelerate Action.

As a white woman living with a chronic illness, I experience both privilege and marginalisation. My white privilege opens doors that remain closed to many women from marginalised communities, while my disability reminds me of the systemic barriers that continue to challenge women’s full participation in society. To me, privilege is not just a passive state—it’s a responsibility. In today’s increasingly polarized political climate, solidarity means speaking up for those deliberately pushed to the margins and denied a platform, like women of colour, indigenous women and trans women. Our fight for equality cannot be selective or conditional.

I wonder if this fight for equality ever is going to end. The times we live in demand us to be constant alert. It’s hard to grasp how rights that were fought for so fiercely are once again under threat. Take the United States, for example, where the federal right to abortion has been overturned, creating a patchwork of unequal access to healthcare. In contrast, France has enshrined the right to abortion in its constitution, becoming the first country in the world to do so. In the Netherlands, abortion is legal but still part of the Criminal Code, sparking ongoing debate about fully recognising reproductive rights.

At the same time, gender equality faces broader challenges, from economic inequality and the gender pay gap to gender-based violence, limited access to education, and the undervaluation of women’s work in healthcare and other essential sectors. These issues do not affect all women in the same way. Women from migrant backgrounds, single mothers, and those in low-paid jobs are often disproportionately impacted by economic inequality.

Not only on International Women’s Day, but every day we should educate ourselves and speak up against exclusionary practices. We could learn to be a better ally and to take time to understand the experiences and challenges of people from marginalised communities. This also means acknowledging our own privileges and biases.

Things we could do are:

Listening to experiences that differ from our own.

Supporting inclusive policies.

Recognizing that equality means creating (safe) space for all women.

Using our platforms to support marginalised communities.

Challenging discriminatory narratives.

Today on International Women’s Day, the focus should be on celebrating the diversity of women’s experiences and embracing all who identify as women. Every voice matters. Every story counts. Together, we can create a world where woman, regardless of her identity or circumstances, could thrive.

Frigga Asraaf

www.internationalwomensday.com

https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/announcement/2024/12/international-womens-day-2025-for-all-women-and-girls-rights-equality-empowerment