On March 8, 2023, a historic event took place in Abu Dubai—Women’s Day. Women from many countries attended. The main topic was equality for women in the work place, getting paid the same as men for the same job. At the same time, women in other countries were demonstrating for basic human rights, such as education, voting, holding office, etc. But who were those women?—our mothers, sisters, daughters, wives, and sweethearts. It is ironic, that in 2023, these topics should even be mentioned, especially today, when many women are highly educated, and often do a better job than men! But there it was! Motherhood was not mentioned even once, during this conference. I suppose a woman views motherhood, not as hard work, but rather as a natural phenomenon, expected of her, by her family, her country, her religion, her culture and her god.
I have 3 daughters, and I will be more than upset, as any father would, if my daughter gets paid less than her male counterpart, for the same job. Whether it is due to culture, religion, the need for dominance, ignorance, or all of the above, this mentality must be relegated to history, if we are to prosper, as a civilized society, nation, and world.
I don’t want to take away anything from the men, except that we have to keep in mind that it was a woman who carried every man in her belly for 9 months, gave birth, and from day one, kept what may become a CEO of a large business, a leader, or even a president, or a king!—clean, fed, cuddled, and loved. She is the one who gets up in the middle of the night to feed him, or to comfort him, while daddy is asleep. She nurses him, changes his diapers, and teaches him how to eat, bathe, dress, and stay healthy and clean. She wipes his runny nose, when needed and his face after an ice-cream fest! She takes him to the doctor when he is sick, and spends the night(s), sitting on a chair next to his crib. or hospital bed, listening to every breath sound, and watch every movement, and frequently touches his soft skin to make sure he is alive and well. She is forever protective, forever loving, always giving, without expecting anything in return, except for him to grow up, get an education, and become a responsible citizen. Oh, yes, maybe a CEO of a big corporation, a leader, or president of his country. She applauds him when he succeeds, comforts him when he fails, cries when he cries, and often shows his pictures, and brags about his little achievements
I hope and pray, that every CEO, president of a country or corporation, every leader, would think of every woman, as though she was his mother, his sister, his wife, his daughter, or his sweetheart, because —-she is.
Rashid Abdu, M.D.
