Things shouldn't be rosy on March 8th. Because reality isn't.

This day was never intended to be a mere festive interlude. It should be a moment of reflection to look lucidly at the condition of women and ask a simple question: what has really changed since last year?

It should be taken seriously by those responsible for transforming public policies and women's living conditions. March 8th should be a time to announce reforms and take stock of progress.

Yet, sometimes the day takes a different turn. Theaters, large and small, fill up; people applaud, dance, and pose for photos, sometimes dressed in the same pagnes (wraparound skirts) like "hostesses." If these moments of conviviality reassure some and give the feeling of a collective celebration, so be it. But they should never make us forget the essential point, because the realities that women face every day don't disappear behind the smiles and festivities.

Among these issues, health and working conditions remain a major concern. In many offices, women remain at their desks, bent double, to maintain concentration and productivity despite the pain of menstruation. This issue is often minimized, relegated to the status of a mere inconvenience, when in fact it can be particularly distressing. Allowing accommodations such as teleworking three days a month is neither a privilege nor a favor. It is acknowledging a biological reality and enabling those who work to do so in humane conditions.

Legal rights and parental authority deserve equal attention. The notion of "head of household," attributed solely to men, remains a barrier to equality. Mothers must be able to exercise equal parental authority. This would allow them to sign administrative documents, make medical decisions, and fully participate in their children's choices, without systematically depending on the father. This is a historic reform that Senegal must implement now.

The fight against violence and mutilation remains an urgent battle. Despite the ban, female genital mutilation persists in some regions. Laws exist, but their enforcement remains insufficient. The goal of "zero tolerance" requires both effective sanctions and profound community awareness. At the same time, harassment and violence against women must be combated with the same firmness in daily life, at school, in the workplace, and in public spaces.

These struggles for health, legal rights, and protection against violence are not separate. They converge in a common demand that the status of women be protected and valued.

For a long time, the rules that structure the professional world were designed by men, for bodies that don't experience these realities. This isn't a criticism, it's an observation. And societies progress when they agree to integrate these realities into their decisions.

Social progress is not measured by declarations. It is measured by the ability to tangibly improve daily life.

And besides, because reality isn't always rosy, March 8th shouldn't be either. Let's put an end to the folklore of the loincloths and dances if it means forgetting what's truly important by March 9th.

March 8th should therefore be a moment to finally decide to make concrete changes to certain things.

March 8th is not a celebration. It's a fight. Make it known.

Your rights.

Ready.

Claim.

Fatou Ouleye Sambou

Woman, Journalist, Writer, Communications Specialist