Dear Girl Child, you have earned it

While attending the Bloomberg Philanthropies awards at the 17th WCTOH conference in Capetown, South Africa; March 2018, A lady, likely in her late 50s was called to receive her award for the good work she had been doing to eradicate Tobacco smoking in her country. She dashed to the stage, received her award , and said ” I want to thank myself for being resilient, and never giving up on my work” Almost 4 years later, I thought about her today.

11th October is the International Day of the Girl Child. Today i took a while and pondered on what my life could have been like if i were born in an era that didn’t treat women with inclusion. Of course i would have been engulfed by the DOGMA of my great grand mothers. I’d probably be a mother of 6 by now at 25, completely clueless about life and living every day with one agenda. A lot has changed, but alot more is supposed to happen. There are many educated people that have called me Nurse in the hospital consultation rooms, and i wonder if it’s because they think a woman can’t be a doctor? or if they were taught that a female doctor is called a Nurse? I should actually ask the next person that calls me this even with my name clearly written Dr. Nahurira on my clinical coat. Not just in medicine, but society still has trouble accepting female engineers. I also want to understand who ever came up with the belief that a woman in power is a a man’s worst enemy . In my opinion, they probably make the most unbiased leaders. Clearly reflect on the structure of women led organisations, or countries led by women. you have your answer.

The girl child of today has undergone a series of transformations and challenges and has had to get bold, knock on doors, wear false confidence at times, to fill shoes many thought she wouldn’t feel. I’m speaking for the girl who was forced into marriage but escaped, I’m speaking for a girl who ran for student leader in a race with 4 boys, I’m speaking for the girl that ran for president and won, I’m speaking for the girl that takes top position in organisations and is everyday paving way for several other girls after her. I’m speaking for the girl being forced to take on religious values she doesn’t believe in, I’m speaking for every girl.

Globally, it has been a story and journey of transformation. From not being able to vote, to not being able to own bank accounts, to not being able to work, to not being able to eat certain dishes or have the choice of a spouse. A lot of scarifies and rule breaking has had to come in along many of these cases to put an end to them. Those bold women who took bold steps have made it possible so you and I can be where we are today. We ought to create more paths for the girl child of the next generation.

The girl child of today may have skipped the usual DOGMA and mentality of being brought up for one purpose and role; marriage and child bearing, but present day the girl child is suffering from mental enslavement largely caused by social media and today’s standards of what a woman should look like. From not being recognised, to now being enslaved mentally. Skin color has enslaved some people to bleaching to feel beautiful. Fake accents, fake lifestyles, sex for money, fake personalities. I believe the many miles the girl child has to cover are still being held by this mental slavery. Why can a man show up in just a way that he can afford but a girl child cant?

More barriers we assume exist tell us we can’t compete for big jobs, big seats, and international representation. About 3 months ago while at the Mbarara URA ( Uganda Revenue Authority) offices, my attention was caught by the “wall of fame”. Very magnificent images of 5 men taking top seats in the finance sector. I sat there very unsettled. I wanted to say something. The lady that was attending to me noticed and I asked if i could take a picture of the wall. I gave her my reasons. Of course i wasn’t granted permission, but I wish every girl child would find such an image uncomfortable. Maybe we would be aiming for higher and bigger stars. Today i know this is possible, and i wish someone had told me earlier that all these boundaries were IMAGINARY. I find my biggest inspiration in people who have done it. Regardless of the circumstances. I am proud to say that I am part of the girl child movement that is doing it, and not about to retire. To the women that work to encourage one another, to the women that inspire us, mentor us and look out for us, I’m grateful. Big shout out to the men in my life that constantly look out for me, recommend me for jobs and projects, mentor me, and especially those that mention my name in big meetings. I see you, I’m grateful.

Great focus should also be put into how the boy child is being brought up today. A lot has been taken for granted due to the superiority we think nature gives to the boy child. The boy child in your community deserves similar undivided effort so as to not dilute certain virtues. Soon, I will write about the things society has made a boy child succumb to. They too need discussion.

They used to say that the worst thing that could happen to the girl child was not to get married, But I’m confident to say that the worst thing that could happen to the girl child is the lack of the luxury to choose.