As the world once again prepares to observe International Women’s Day, a day dedicated to celebrating the rights, achievements and dignity of women, a troubling contradiction emerges. In an era often described as the most progressive in human history — an age of technological advancement, global cooperation and human rights advocacy — millions of women still live under the shadow of violence, discrimination and fear.

This year’s theme for International Women’s Day calls for Rights, Justice and Action for all women and girls. However, recent incidents remind us that these ideals are still far from being realised. The shocking case of French woman Gisèle Pelicot, who was reportedly drugged by her husband and abused by dozens of men while unconscious over a nine-year period, and the abduction and extraction from the country of Cilia Adela Flores, a Venezuelan lawyer, politician and first lady, horrified the world and exposed the extreme vulnerability women can face even within their own homes and homelands. Similarly, global attention was drawn to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, which revealed a disturbing network of sexual exploitation involving powerful individuals. Such incidents are not isolated tragedies; they reflect deeper systemic failures to protect women in both developed and developing countries.

Beyond individual cases, the dangers facing women in conflict zones remain equally alarming. The world witnessed brutality in Palestine, Sudan and Lebanon, with the recent tragic reports of a targeted missile attack on a girls’ school in Iran taking 163 innocent lives in the blink of an eye, highlighting how even education — a basic right — can become a deadly risk for girls, compromising their right to live. These incidents raise a troubling question: in a world that constantly speaks of progress, how safe are women really?

Statistics reveal a deeply unsettling reality. According to global estimates, nearly one in three women worldwide have experienced physical or sexual violence during their lifetime. This means that approximately 840 million women and girls have suffered abuse or exploitation. Even more disturbing is the fact that thousands of women are killed each year, often by intimate partners or family members. For many women, the greatest threats do not come from strangers but from those closest to them.

The challenges women face become even more severe in times of war and natural disasters. Today, the world is experiencing the highest number of active conflicts since 1946, placing millions of civilians in extremely dangerous conditions. The Women, Peace and Security Report 2025 by the UN Secretary General warns that 676 million women now live within 50 kilometres of deadly conflict zones — the highest level since the 1990s. Civilian casualties among women and children have quadrupled compared to the previous two-year period, while conflict-related sexual violence has increased by 87 per cent in two years.

Women and girls living near conflict zones face heightened risks of violence, trafficking and forced displacement. For refugee and displaced women, survival often means navigating environments where protection is limited and exploitation is common. Natural disasters further deepen these inequalities. Climate-related crises and environmental disasters have forced millions of people to leave their homes, making women among the most vulnerable. When communities collapse during disasters, women frequently lose access to healthcare, education and economic opportunities, leaving them even more exposed to discrimination and abuse. The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre revealed in its 2025 report that internal displacement has doubled since 2018, reaching a record high of 83.4 million across 117 countries and territories, of which 73.5 million were displaced by conflict and violence and 9.8 million by disasters.

Despite these ongoing challenges, international institutions frequently promote global commitments to gender equality. The world’s leading organisations, such as the United Nations, consistently advocate for women’s rights through campaigns, conventions and policy frameworks. While these initiatives have raised awareness and created important discussions, the persistence of widespread violence raises a difficult question: have these global institutions truly delivered justice for women?

Decades of resolutions, declarations and global conferences have promised change, yet progress remains painfully slow. Women continue to be underrepresented in positions of power and decision-making. According to the latest Global Gender Gap Report, the world may require more than a century to achieve full gender parity, particularly in economic and political arenas. Women remain underrepresented in legislative structures and cabinet portfolios such as the economy, infrastructure and defence, revealing a stark gap between international promises and real-world outcomes.

At the same time, modern warfare is entering a new technological era. The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence in military systems is transforming the nature of conflict. Autonomous drones and algorithm-based targeting systems are reshaping battlefields and potentially making warfare even more unpredictable and destructive. The Vienna Global Conference 2024 urged the regulation of AI weapons, calling the issue an “Oppenheimer moment” of our time. Analysts say artificial intelligence has the capacity to revolutionise warfare, making human conflicts unimaginably different and far more deadly, increasing vulnerability for civilians — especially women — while also adversely impacting climate action.

This International Women’s Day, it is therefore important to ask whether the world is truly honouring women or merely celebrating symbolic gestures. Social media campaigns, official speeches and commemorative events may highlight women’s achievements, but they cannot erase the reality that millions of women remain exposed to the dangers of modern warfare and continue to live without safety, equality or justice. International Women’s Day should be a moment of reflection and accountability. Governments, global organisations and societies must recognise that real change requires more than promises. It demands strong political will, effective protection systems and a genuine commitment to gender equality.

I therefore urge women across the world to join hands and raise a strong collective voice, building a robust movement that replaces words with action and declares: until women everywhere can live without fear of violence, exploitation and discrimination, the mission of justice remains unfinished.

Rabia GhaniThe writer is a Research, Advocacy & Gender Coordinator associated with Pattan Coalition 38. She can be reached at: rg123pk@gmail.com

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