As every year, today, on the 8th of March, we are commemorating International Women’s Day. We remember the importance of gender’s equality, especially in regards to fundamental rights, opportunities of participation and representation, freedom and independence. However, year by year, the rate of sexism and discrimination, verbal, emotional and sexual violence against women and femicide has been increased globally. Additionally, the objectification of women still continues and the inequalities are increasing.

Especially with the current COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions, women have been suffering the consequences in the social, educational, professional and family level. The cases of domestic violence have been increased worldwide and women are struggling more than men to maintain their jobs or find new ones, with the schools closed and their children forced to stay at home. In times of disrespect and lack of compliance of women’s rights, our challenge as a local societies and as a global society is not simply to know that these rights exist in theory. Our challenge is to take the responsibility to change these theoretical rights into actions, as we ought to do in practice with women’s rights.

TEJO, over our history, have been working hard to destroy linguistic, cultural, economic, social and gender barriers. By either making our events inclusive for all genders or by training young people on sexism with X-lingvo in 2020 and in 2021 or by ensuring equality, participation and equal representation in all the work of our organization and movement. Today, let’s commemorate the International Women’s Day by making our voices stronger for the rights of all women around the world who deserve equal opportunities and equal treatment.