THE National Women’s Month Celebration (NWMC) every March is part of the worldwide observance of the International Women’s Day. The yearly activity is based on Proclamation No. 224 s. 1988 declaring the first week of March each year as Women’s Week and March 8 as Women’s Rights and International Peace Day; Proclamation No. 227 s. 1988 providing for the observance of the Month of March as Women’s Role in History Month; and Republic Act 6949 s. 1990 declaring March 8 of every year as National Women’s Day.
The NWMC theme for 2017-2022, “We Make Change Work for Women,” was crafted by the Philippine Commission on Women Board Members and the Inter-Agency Technical Working Group in 2017. It encompasses four elements which include women empowerment, the strengthening of the Magna Carta for Women, Compassionate and Harmonized Actions and Networks for Gender Equality, and the people who will ensure that “women will not be left behind in the pursuit of change.”
The theme also emphasizes that women should be active drivers in bringing about positive changes, and that they should also reap from fruits of development efforts. This can be made possible by empowering women – enabling them to meaningfully engage with other development stakeholders, and by fully implementing the MCW.
The most significant aspect of this annual celebration is to continuously advocate women empowerment. While active groups and government agencies devotedly carry on this vision, the will to become an empowered woman starts within each person. It is expected that only a truly empowered woman can successfully effect change in any given unit or situation.
How can a woman empower herself? There are three simple ways on how to achieve this - women should have a healthy mind, healthy body, and a healthy spirit.
Having a healthy mind means having positive thoughts all the time. It may seem quite challenging for women to develop this habit as we women are known to be cynical and assuming at most times. It is proven that our mind is like a magnet. Our thoughts attract emotions and possibilities. If our mind is full of negative thoughts, then it will attract negative behaviors and events. However, if we have positive thoughts in our mind, then it will attract positive emotions and happenings. Women should also stop overthinking and know how to handle situations with a calm mind and disposition.
The next key to women empowerment is having a healthy body. Although it is not ideal to say that having sexy body is an aspect to being an empowered woman, having a fit and strong physique boosts a woman’s confidence and personality. We can always aim to look good for our husbands or partners, but we have to remember that we have to look and feel good for ourselves and not for anyone else. We have to put in mind that no one and nothing can define our sense of being, thus we don’t need to rely on others for validation and assurance.
Having a healthy spirit means that a woman must have a strong relationship with God. With the many challenges that women face in their lives, having a strong faith in Him is an important aspect on how to successfully deal with all problems. For married women, putting God at the center of your relationship with your husband is a powerful tool on how to ensure a strong, happy, and peaceful marriage.
Women are indeed pacemakers, and the fastest way to change society is to mobilize the women of the world.