Editorial: Gender equality

Gender equality is becoming an ever more distant prospect.

At the current pace, the UN projects that it will be achieved in 300 years, according to a recent statement by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

Everyone was aware of the problem raised by Antonio Guterres - that women’s rights are being harmed all over the world and that all the achievements over many decades are being reversed.

All women see this in their daily lives, and many observe the behaviours to which their mothers, wives, sisters, and daughters are being subjected.

Women’s rights are being violated not only in far-away Afghanistan, but are also under threat in the advanced US – where women are deprived of the right to do as they will with their bodies.

These rights are also in danger in Europe, as women who do the same job as a man does earns less money.

Women are challenged almost everywhere as in most countries very few women manage to break through the glass ceiling in order to assume a position of responsibility.

International Women’s Day is an opportunity to ponder the future we want to create for our girls and young women.

We must concede that just 24 hours of statements does not suffice.

We have a duty to work intensively 365 days a year, every year, so as to at some point eventually achieve gender equality.