ODVV’s Statement on the International Women’s Day

The International Women’s Day is commemorated on 8 March each year to remind us the importance of women’s rights and gender justice and our endless fight against discrimination. This day in fact is a day to take a look at the moves ahead of us to pave the way for the blooming of talents and opportunities that await the future generation of women.
The International Women’s Day is a day for the creation of solidarity among women around the world to stand for their rights, equality and non-discrimination. These rights include all arenas such as scientific, political, social and cultural arenas. Although in the recent decades there have been many advancements in women’s rights and status in various countries, but women are still far away from their proper position and they suffer discrimination in all countries. In most of the advanced countries, women’s average income is lower than men. Education and health facilities for women are more limited. Three-quarters of the illiterates of the world are women and women make up a major part of the victims of violence, refugees, and victims of armed conflicts.
The ODVV believes every violation of women’s human rights will pave the way for a form of violence against women. It believes women’s rights are inalienable part of the human rights. Therefore, as a nongovernmental organization the ODVV calls upon domestic and international communities and civil society bodies to pay attention to women’s needs more than before and to take all sided actions for the preservation of their rights and achievement of gender justice.
The United Nations Charter is the first international document towards the realisation of women’s rights in universal dimensions and therefore the UN must pursue standards, programmes, strategies and objectives to remove challenges ahead, and promote women’s status throughout the world, and strengthen sustainable development, peace, security and human rights more than before.
We believe that the International Women’s Day should be an opportunity to reflect the achievements that have been made and the brave initiative started by women and also their determination to realise their rights. Women’s empowerment and also reformation of the socio-political structures of societies can play key roles in raising women’s status and position.
Once again, we emphasize on this year’s slogan that “Time is now: Rural and urban women activists transforming women’s lives”. The ODVV resolutely condemns any form of violence against women, particularly sexual abuse which women today suffer from more than before, particularly victims of armed conflict and refugees. The ODVV also declares its support for rural women who are exposed to various forms of deprivation of infrastructures, services, work and social support. We believe that it is necessary to take urgent and immediate actions for the fulfilment of women’s living standards, especially in rural areas.