Women's Day: A day of reflection or just empty gestures?

How many women can a man come in contact with in his lifetime? He knows his mother, grandmothers, aunts, sisters, wife, daughters, female friends, and colleagues.

It is hard to believe that a man does not care about these women. When I say "care", I mean about their well-being. Most men do not want to harm or misbehave with the women in their lives. They do not want them to be hurt, abused or violated. A man is happy when the women he knows are happy and safe.

However, this is not always the case. In our societies, some men harm women. Sometimes, they even harm the women they are closest to.

Who suffers the most from this harm? Often, it is the wives. A report by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics and UNICEF found that one in four women in Bangladesh is beaten by her husband. It is heartbreaking to think that a husband, who should be a protector, becomes a source of pain.

I have discussed this issue with my partner, wondering why men beat their wives. We found two main reasons. First, they do not honestly care for their wives. Second, they do it because they can.

This is why we have International Women's Day. It is a day to reflect on our actions, speak about equality and remind ourselves that men and women should live in harmony. On this day, some men soften their hearts and realise their responsibilities. They understand that they have failed to show love and respect to the women in their lives.

But do we really need to celebrate Women's Day? My partner believes we should not. She argues that dedicating one day to women makes them seem separate from men, in a world already dominated by male decisions. She also believes that the message of Women's Day is forgotten as soon as the day is over. For the rest of the year, many men do not bother to remember the importance of gender equality.

I partly agree with her, but have more questions. Does the need for Women's Day mean that men have failed to meet women's expectations? Have we failed to create a balanced society where men and women are equal partners, supporting each other with love and respect?

Perhaps. Just as we observe World Environment Day to remind ourselves of our failures in protecting nature, we observe Women's Day to remind ourselves of our failures in ensuring gender equality.

Unfortunately, Women's Day has also become commercialised. Businesses flood the market with advertisements for perfumes, beauty products, jewellery, and kitchenware. Instead of promoting real change, they reinforce the same gender roles that hold women back.

The media tries to highlight important issues, but their message often gets lost in the sea of advertisements. The real purpose of the day — to reduce the gender gap — is overshadowed by commerce. Even women themselves sometimes focus more on dressing up for the occasion than on raising their voices for change.

And so, nothing truly changes. Men continue to hold power, while women continue to suffer. Why do men behave as if women are their opponents? Why do they act in ways that harm the very people they should protect and respect?

This is truly disappointing.

We need to send out the real message of Women's Day and rethink how we observe it. Otherwise, it is losing its meaning. Instead of just celebrating, we should take action to ensure lasting change. Only then will Women's Day serve its true purpose.

Ekram Kabir is a storyteller. ekabir@gmail.com.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.