Pinays in The Netherlands celebrate Intl Women's Day

Filipino women gathered in Utrecht, The Netherlands on March 17 for the “Pilipina sa Holland: Ipagdiwang Natin ang Ating Kalakasan,” an event celebrating International Women’s Day. The event, organized by Stichting Bayanihan, aimed to shine a light on the need of Filipino women to become economically independent.   In The Netherlands, 50% of Dutch women are economically independent but only 33% of non-western migrants are, said Diana Oosterbeek-Latoza, coordinator and social cultural worker of Stichting Bayanihan, the sole group that advocates for Filipino women's welfare in the country. Oosterbeek-Latoza said the event aims to "show that the economic position of the women is not yet strong. So the challenge for us, especially to those women who have achieved that level of independence, is to unite and lobby the position of the women in The Netherlands." "We have to integrate, participate and hold hands together. That is not to say that we, Filipinas, should only join Filipino Women’s Organizations but Women’s Organizations in general," she added. Philippine Ambassador to The Netherlands Lourdes Morales said much has already been done to make women equal to their male counterparts in the workplace but much still remains to be achieved. She noted that the United Nations has been crucial in pushing for gender equality worldwide. Morales said the theme of this year's International Women's Day celebration — Empower Rural Women – End Hunger and Poverty — "recognizes that gender equality and empowerment of women has not been fully reached by rural women and girls who comprise one quarter of the global population.”  She said the international community should give more attention to women in rural areas in their struggle for gender equality and empowerment. She cited an aphorism or pithy observation from Mahatma Gandhi: "Woman is the companion of man, gifted by equal mental capacities. If by strength is meant moral power, then woman is immeasurably man's superior." - VVP, GMA News