International Women鈥檚 Day was celebrated last week and it鈥檚 the most important one yet. We say that because it feels like the voices calling for equality are louder than ever, and so it鈥檚 imperative to take the momentum that exists and call for change now.

International Women鈥檚 Day was recognized with events, protests and rallies throughout the world on Thursday, March 8, including a local event at 40 Knots Winery. The United Nations鈥� theme this year is 鈥楾ime is Now,鈥� recognizing the activism that is changing women鈥檚 lives and the activism that is still needed.

Something has changed since this time last year. The Me Too and Time鈥檚 Up movements resonated and empowered women to speak up and forced people to listen. Women who have been abused and who have faced inequality are being believed. It鈥檚 sent a message that women don鈥檛 have to accept unacceptable treatment.

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN under-secretary-general, said in a statement that the 鈥済athering of strength among women鈥� that is happening right now has to be a tipping point. The feminist movement must continue to increase the diversity and the number of people working on gender equality.鈥�

Change might be a slow process in a lot of places, but it doesn鈥檛 have to be in 2018, especially where such a fundamental right is concerned.

Gender equality may have been valued here for some time, but more effort needs to be made to really think about what that means on a day-to-day, week-to-week basis. Women and the men who support, love, value and respect them are getting that message across through rallies and marches here and around the world.

We all need to commit to and practise having modern attitudes about gender equality and women鈥檚 rights. When we see injustice, we all need to speak out against it in our day-to-day lives, and not only on International Women鈥檚 Day.

-Black Press