The Time for Change is Now

Posted 11 October 2022 in EMpower News   |   Share

Today we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the International Day of the Girl and the theme "Our time is now—our rights, our future." Fostering girls’ agency, rights, and leadership is at the heart of EMpower’s mission and has been a guiding principle of our work for many years. We believe that girls are the experts in their lives and are—and should be seen as—the true changemakers in their communities. At EMpower, we strive to amplify their voices and incorporate their perspectives into our programmes and strategies.  

While the world has made much progress in advancing girls’ rights, much remains to be done to ensure they have the opportunities to live their potential, and to lead. We call on other funders and policymakers to listen to girls and heed their sage words. And in this spirit, we share a moving poem, “The Time for Change is Now,” by Sabah Siddiqui, an EMpower Girl Leader who has been a part of EMpower's Learning Community since its inception in 2012 in Mumbai, India. Sabah currently works at Shadika as a Programme Associate, where she continues her journey of helping to make education accessible to girls in her community. The poem challenges outdated views of girls’ place in society and presents a vision for a different future.

Jo Kai saalo se chala aaraha hai, 

Kya woh abhi bhi chaley,

Zaroori hai kya?

Kyu jab kaamo ka batwaara ho, 

Office ya mazdoori ka zimma aadmiyon per,

Aur ghar ki dhero zimmedari aurton per,

Kyun hum abhi bhi isi dastoor se chaley,

Zaroori hai kya?

Ladkiyon ko khul kar hasne ki azaadi nahi,

Ladko ko dil khol kar rone per pabandi,

Kapdo se lekar career tak ke faisle ladki nahi kar sake,

Ladko ko humesha unchi hi awaaz mein baat karni hai,

Bachpan hi se wo nadaani kar sakte,

Har bade faislon per aadmiyon ka haq,

Kya ab bhi hum purane riwajon se jiye,

Zaroori hai kya?

Kyun har baar, har waqt, hum inhi mei ulajh jaate hai,

Kaun ladka hai, kaun ladki,

Ye dekhne se pehle insaan kyun nahi samajhte hai?

Kyun raise usulo ko banate hai,

Jisse kisi ka koi faayeda nahi?

Kyun nahi hum sab mil kar, saath jud kar,

Ek aisa naya samaj banate hai,

Jahan har koi barabar ho,,

Kisi ki awaaz dabi na ho,

Haq ki khushiyan sabhi ko mile,

Shuruwaat toh karni hogi badalne ki,

Aadmiyon ko saath lana hoga,

Ladkiyon ko jodna hoga,

Unke vicharon ko jaanna hoga,

Milkar kuch nirnaye lene honge,

Haq aur zimmedaari ki baat karni hogi,

Tabhi kuch kar paayenge,

Aur aage badh paayenge.

In English:

What has been happening for ages,   

Should we accept it today,  

Does it have to be this way?  

Why is it that when work is divided,   

Office or labour responsibilities fall on men,

While girls remain indoors carrying the burden of domestic chores,

Why should we follow the same old norms?   

Does it have to be this way?  

Girls don’t have the freedom to laugh whole-heartedly,   

And boys are told they can’t cry,

From her attire to her career, a girl can’t choose for herself,  

Boys should always speak with authority,  

Boys are given the freedom to make mistakes, 

Men have the last say on every big decision,  

Should we still live by these archaic rules?  

Does it have to be this way?  

Why do we always get trapped in these binaries,   

Who’s a girl and who’s a boy,   

Before seeing our gender, why can’t they see we are humans?  

What is the need for such principles?  

That benefit no one. 

Why can’t we come together,   

To build a new society,   

Where everyone is equal,   

Where no voice is suppressed,  

Everyone has the right to happiness.  

A step needs to be taken. A step towards change. 

Men and boys should be made allies,   

Girls should be brought together,  

Their opinions need to be heard, 

Some decisions need to be made,   

Rights and responsibilities should be discussed,  

Only then will we be able to usher in change,  

And move forward hand-in-hand. 

–Sabah Siddiqui