A Global Day of Celebration and Reflection

Today is International Women’s Day. It’s a day we honor and celebrate all that women have accomplished, and recognize all that has yet to be done so that women achieve their full human rights.

In 2001, I was writing a story about gender-based violence. The press officers at the regional offices of the organization I worked for at the time really went the extra mile to help me gather stories and photographs to bring to life the voices of women from all over the world who had survived violence.

Our press officer from Senegal sent me a few photos via e-mail. There was one of eight Senegalese women standing in a field, talking. They belonged to a self-help group in a village near Kaolack. They are serious, attentive, respectful of one another. The vivid colors of their clothing stand in sharp contrast to the green of the plants. The sun shines brightly, casting sharp shadows behind them.

He wrote, “Even if you do not use the photo, post it somewhere. It could be a source of inspiration whenever you are writing an article on women in West Africa.”

I did print it out and have kept it with me since then, posted in a visible place in my workspace. And it is a source of inspiration for me, and not just when I’m writing. Among other things, it reminds me of how connected we all are, and must be, in order to advance the cause of justice.

When I took the photo down today to refer to his note, I noticed that he mentioned that some of the other photos he sent me were taken on a particular day that year -- International Women’s Day.