‘Here’s to strong women; may we know them, may we be them, may we raise them.’

This quote traces us to a cogent message succinctly covering the salient point of how women are born to deserve the sheer beauty of respect - a promise hummed by many across the world, but yet shamefully flawed to have been fully emphasised on for centuries.

Instead, in accordance with ancient customs in this age, women are forced to brave the pain and fear of living life, robbing them of a bright future.

When discussing how ancient customs could take complete control over a woman’s life - for the pure sake of keeping a family’s honour intact - you could never shun away from bride kidnapping, a factor that strips many women off educational rights.

This is manifested by the statistics where only 15 per cent of the women who have completed secondary school education are allowed onto the tertiary stage, greatly contributing to the millions of illiterate adults around the world.

A married woman is also bound to stay home as she shoulders the responsibilities of the household.

Don't get me wrong, I do not vote against women who have CHOSEN to renounce their careers to nurture for a kid’s upbringing - it’s their decision - but I am disconcerted that a great percentage of beautiful women are FORCED down this path with no say in their lives.

Education is one of the pathways to success; it is the tool for us to change the world. With a whopping percentage of illiterate adults, how are we to abate the world from disgusting affairs? A powerful 'she voice' is lost every time the society fails her education rights. 

Furthermore, young girls spanning across the ages of 4 to 13 face the menace of genital mutilation. Female genital mutilation, which is horrendously revolting, has caused the deaths of millions due to the inexorable complications that their bodies face while performing natural bodily functions, such as periods. Infections may plague the girls’ frail bodies as the wicked tools involved in female circumcisions are often unsanitary.

This act in its essence, of which I deem reprehensible, is classified as a ‘necessity’ in different cultures. No one dares to oppose this ‘death sentence’; today as you read this article, at least a dozen girls have been genitally mutilated, with their voices helplessly perforating through the ears of this heartless world.

Is it really necessary for a woman to be subjected to a great deal of indescribable pain?

Fret not, I am not criticising any customs, but I am raising an eyebrow at the continuation of life-threatening procedures performed SOLELY on women. Is the world losing their empathy towards women? Are we turning into cold-hearted monsters? 

I could go on to list an array of heinous crimes committed against women. But for now, these two factors would be sufficient to paint an intensively gruelling picture of the lives of women.

For centuries, women have been deemed as mute vessels living under the light of fear, praying to survive their fate daily. On the other hand today, for my readers, I am sure that you are living life to your heart’s content.

You may not necessarily be spending luxuriously, but you are educated enough to be comprehending this work of mine, a right that is now heartbreakingly acknowledged as a form of ‘talent’ for women.

You have the time to be reading this article of mine, but other women are preoccupied with shying away from the ‘monsters’ for survival.

For every joke you giggle at, a woman is either shedding a bucket of tears or, in the worst case scenario, contemplating suicide for the life she is living. 

We women were not born to suffer, nor were we placed on Earth to feel sinful for what the society reckons us to be.

We are NOT toys to be trampled over by society; we are the respect worthy humans who have birthed generations to life, and have proudly founded some luxuries that the world lives off today.

We deserve respect and rights. And, for this to happen, it starts with YOU my readers today; embrace the women on Earth today with love, please. It is not that hard.