In the spirit of equality and respect, let us together celebrate the 100th anniversary of the International Women Day. Women, along with men, have been in the front of the struggle for equality, justice, and democracy for millennia. Human dignity has been defined and refined by the mutual struggle of men and women. Women have always suffered and paid heavy price, often heavier than men, for injustice, for repression, for the impact of global and local repression.
In the Middle East, today as indeed over the past centuries, women have spearheaded the struggle for liberation, independence, social justice, and witness with delight today's struggle for democracy and end of repression.
To the numerous women in my life (wife, daughter, sister, mother, ants, cousins, family members, friends, mentors, educators, peers, leaders, subordinates, and ....), I salute you and thank you for making my life richer with vision.
Let us together work to retire this day of memory in the next 100 years by actually realizing equality in:
* access to education provided to all children, female and male;
* access to jobs, with equal pay;
* roles in public life and leadership;
* deciding ones own future;
* controlling ones own body; and,
* Family laws and the right to choose partners for life
With joy and humility,
Dr. Sami AlBanna
