Every March 8, the world comes together to celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD). A day to recognize the achievements, strength, and resilience of women everywhere. This year’s theme, “For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment,” speaks directly to the heart of our work at Milestone Initiative for Human Rights and Empowerment (MIHRE).
We see this strength daily in the women we work with Women Who Use and Inject Drugs (WWUID) in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, and Africa. They are mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends. They are survivors. Despite facing stigma, discrimination, and violence, they continue to rise, pushing forward with determination and courage.
These women are more than their struggles, they are leaders of their own lives and powerful agents of change. When given the opportunity, they reclaim their dignity, make informed choices, and build better futures for themselves and their communities. Their stories inspire us to keep advocating for a world where every woman and girl, regardless of her circumstances has the right to safety, health, and empowerment.
As a society, we must recognize and support the unseen resilience of these women. We must ensure that their voices are heard, their rights are protected, and their futures are filled with opportunities not obstacles. Every woman matters. Every girl deserves to thrive.
This IWD, lets commit to accelerating action so that ALL women and girls can live free from fear, full of hope, and with the power to shape their own lives.
#IWD2025 #AccelerateAction #HeartlandAlliance #ViiVHealthcare
