The theme of this year's 8 March, International Women's Day, is: For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.

Gender equality is at the heart of human rights and dignity. The term is often misunderstood: it does not mean advocating for the sexes to be the same, but for them to be equal. The progress in gender equality, which women's movements and activists worldwide have fought for, has made our society more just. This progress cannot be taken for granted and still requires further efforts today.

We all, regardless of our personal circumstances, face challenges in life, and these are intertwined with our gender, age, sexual orientation, ethnicity and other characteristics. Data shows that at least one in three women and girls has experienced violence, most often from a partner. Various forms of online violence are very present. The assumption that it only occurs among young people is wrong because there are many types of online violence: from offensive comments, incitement to action and spreading lies to sharing intimate photos and creating fake content.
When it comes to women's rights, we cannot ignore access to contraception and the freedom to make decisions about one’s own body. Denying these rights does not mean that there are fewer abortions. It means that they are performed in less safe and less sterile conditions with a higher number of complications, which is also one of the leading causes of death for women around the world. Reproductive rights are just that: the right to make the choices that are right for us and our circumstances.
Empowering women and girls means strengthening their role and their power, that is, creating a society that allows them to lead the lives they want. This is not only about health and humanitarian issues but also about decisions on the direction of studies, the suitability of the chosen profession and equal pay for equal work. Feminism is nothing other than a women's movement for equality with men. This does not mean that there are no differences between the sexes, but it does mean that these differences should not affect the quality of our lives. Gender equality extends to all areas of life, and supporting the girls and women in our lives is a choice. Let us choose encouragement and compassion for the women among us, and let it not be limited to just one day of the year.