With the thematic headline, we congratulate women and girls on the occasion of (March 8, 2026) International Women’s Day. It’s a fact of life that no bird can fly with one wing. Women and men constitute human beings. It is therefore essential to ensure that all forms of patriarchal tyrannies meted out to women and girls anywhere in the world should be stamped out. As we commemorate this year’s International Women’s Day, we say no to: domestic violence, harmful widowhood practices, female genital mutilation, disinheritance, wife battery, molest, femininized tools of war, deliberate defrocking of women, feminicide, masculinization of political decisions, misogynistic practices, and other wicked acts against women stand condemned. Let women and girls breathe. Let women live, lead and participate in politics. Let women’s rights be safeguarded. For an arm against one is an arm against all. Let’s choose peace while choosing life. Let’s stop wars against women and girls and boys in Iran, United States, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Russia, Somali, Sudan, Nigeria, etc. Let the sun set on terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and ritual killings with their devastating effects on all of us.
Folorunso is Director, Awake Initiative for Family Relations, Ethics and Development (AiFrED), Ibadan
