Welcome to the London blog


Wednesday 8 March 2017

Celebrating International Women’s Day
By Sheila Menon

International Women’s Day is a celebration of respect, appreciation and love toward women for their achievements. It is also a time for individual women to recognize their personal worth as mother’s, daughters and ambassadors of change.Many women today work; they also cook, manage the domestic economics and wipe runny noses. It can sometimes feel that the right to go to work simply means having two full time jobs squeezed into the space of 24 hours. Of course, 21st century living has an impact on the male population. But men did not have to fight for the right to go to work or to have a value placed on their dreams. This can result in different perspectives, and sometimes communication can breakdown between the sexes. Stress builds up, tensions fly and women can sometimes feel guilty that they are not doing enough. One study suggests that women measure the amount of housework they feel they should do (or feel guilty for not doing) by what they observed their mothers doing. Change clearly starts at home. Women are already contributing to a more equal society when they share informed thoughts and opinions with their daughters and sons. But change does not stop here. Children often model what they see making it important for every woman, married or single to embrace her right to have an opinion. It is her courage to break with tradition and to speak out or act, which creates the opportunity for future generations to grow up with a better understanding of the dynamics of equality.  

In 1995 nearly 200 governments signed the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which is a historic road map envisioning a world where each woman and girl can exercise her choices, such as participating in politics, getting an education, having an income, and living in societies free from violence and discrimination. Political voices are the vehicle that provide better opportunities for female employment and safety. But just as important for change to occur is each woman who everyday celebrates her validity as a person in her own right, because it is from these small steps that great changes occur.


LCCH invites you to celebrate International Women’s Day with a series of one-day workshop about Communication in Families. Registration fee RM 50 (not inclusive 6% GST).