The international women day over the years has celebrated the socio-political and economic achievements of women worldwide. It is a day of reflection but most times a day of celebration and most especially advocacy. 

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Women have always demanded recognition and therefore the theme of this year’s celebration is ‘Gender Parity’.

Women advocates want an accelerated step towards achieving this goal. They want more encouragement for women and girls to achieve their set objectives and ambitions.

It is a long walk to freedom but one thing that is clear is women have advanced in leaps and bounds.

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The issue of the role of women in society vis-à-vis men has remained as old as creation. The debate has become more profound in the 20th century. Women want to be respected and recognized in equal measures. But is that really possible? In this argument you are either a chauvinist or a feminist, therefore there is no agreement on the narrative.

Internationally, especially Europe and America, women’s role is more profound but in Africa and Asia for example, the traditionalists insist the role of the woman is at home and therefore the narrative will not break the ice here.

The debate on Gender Parity will continue for as long as the world will last.

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But rather than seek for concession of parity, women advocates should look at the role of women mostly in the rural areas in Africa and Asia. Women advocates should be concerned about the number of girls who are out of school and are hawking in cities and towns, they should be worried by the high incidence of rape, teenage pregnancy and teenage marriage.

Women advocates should rally round and support the women who toil everyday to eek a living for their families most times with their babies strapped on their back. Those are the women who matter, those are the women and girls who need who parity. They need parity of education and parity to access to social services.

This photo essay is dedicated to the toiling African woman and girl on this international women day. Women who in all human endeavours take care of the home. The woman who wakes in the morning prepare the family and the husband for school and work and also prepare herself for her own job.

PHOTOS: Yunusa Abdullahi

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On their way home: Women going back home at dawn after attending the local market in Mali
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A woman prepares a local menu called ‘Masa’ on the streets in Abuja while her daughter watches
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Two Gbagi women with their implements on their shoulders on their way to farm at Issahmission village in Kagarko local government area of Kaduna state
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The strong African woman fully loaded and doing it with pride: providing for the family on her way home from the farm
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Another African woman proudly contributing economically at a fish market in Segou, Mali.
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A woman knits a local cap at the IDP camp in Dolori, Maiduguri
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These young girls are sand scavengers in a local stream along Bwari- kaduna road. They should be in school
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A woman and her son at the IDP camp in Dolori, Maiduguri. Despite the dislocation of social life, she won’t let her son out of her sight. The strong bond
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A group of young girls processing rice at Gwaram village on the Zaria-Kano expressway. They should be in school
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This woman does it with a smile. Despite the pressure, she kept going with her baby strapped.
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The women and girls all at the stream doing house chores for the family. 
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A Fulani woman with her baby strapped milking the cow for the family for breakfast at a village near Kura town, Kano state

 

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