In this beautiful prose poem, Hawwah explains why she stands in solidarity with women globally.
“It is by standing together that we can make her voice and cries heard.”
Today, I stand with her, she who was regarded as a person of no consequence, on the basis of sex.
Today, I stand with her, she who the world conspired to deliberately deny her of her place in it, on the basis of sex.
Today, I stand with her, she whose childhood was stolen from her by lecherous men without discipline and self-control, men who preyed on her innocence, nativity, and vulnerability, on the basis of sex.
Today, I stand with her, she who, without any education, training, preparation, or experience, had entrusted upon her the most important job in the world, on the basis of sex.
Today, I stand with her, she whose dreams were stolen, her ambitions shattered, and her potential destroyed, on the basis of sex.
Today, I stand with her, she who lives with coercion and control, and she who was forced into a life she neither wanted nor bargained for, on the basis of sex.
Today, I stand with her, she who sacrifices everything, and makes all the compromises without ever being acknowledged for them, on the basis of sex.
Today, I stand with her, she who never lived, but merely existed so that others could live, on the basis of sex.
Today, I stand with her, she who has had to learn to multitask and work ten times harder to get only half of what she deserves, on the basis of sex. Today, I stand with her, she who was manipulated into enduring and accepting abuse from those who should have protected her, on the basis of sex. Today, I stand with her, she whose efforts, contributions, and value is often neglected and unappreciated, not because they are of no value, but on the basis of sex.
Today, I stand with her because we all have to stand up with her and for her.
It is only by standing together that we can end the abuse, the bias, the inequality, the discrimination, the injustice, the inhumanity, the violations, the deprivations, and the stigma meted on her, on the basis of sex.
Today, I stand with her. It is only by standing together that we can make change happen and give her a life—not just an existence. It is by standing together that we can make her voice and cries heard and taken with significance, validate her dreams, and amplify the demands for her rights as one of the most important creations on the planet.
Today, I stand with her, she who brings forth life, and I pledge to stand with her for as long as I breathe.
I stand with her because I AM HER. We all are HER.
This story was published as part of the World Pulse Story Awards program to commemorate the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence. We believe every woman has a story to share, and that the world will be a better place when women are heard. Share your story with us, and you could receive added visibility, or even be our next Featured Storyteller! Learn more.
Dear Hawwah,
Your prose poem got me visualising the struggles , the pain, abuse and rejection she faces daily. #i stand with her too
Thank you for sharing
Hugs
Dear Tola,
Thank you for your comment. Yes, the struggle is real.
And the earlier we acknowledge them, the earlier we begin to find solutions.
I am honored to share my thoughts with you all.
Hawwah
Beautiful Write up which expresses the various injustices faced by women.
Celebrate you and keep up your work in promoting issues which concerns Women and the Girl Child.
Please follow back
Hello Oluwatoyin,
Thank you for your feedback and advice.
We cannot afford to not talk about thee issues. The price of silence is much higher than that of speaking up.
Truly appreciate. following you right away.
Hawwah
प्रये, आपकी कविता मैने पडी।कविता सर्धष, प्यार है मुल्य है जो मैरे कार्य मे मदत गार हे
Hello Madhuri,
Thank you for your comment, except I cannot read it; lols.
You bear the same name as my favorite Indian actress, Madhuri Dixit, which officially makes you one of my favorite sisters.
Thank you very much.
Hawwah
Hello, dear Hawwah,
Congratulations on becoming a Featured Storyteller! Very powerful post especially the last part when you wrote, " I stand with her because I AM HER. We all are HER." This gives us a perspective on doing what we do until all women and girls are safe and protected from all forms of violence.
Well-deserved, sis!
Hello Karen,
Thank you very much for your kind words.
I tried to encapsulate all the things I know women go through regardless of privilege because I realized that even the privileged ones experience one form of discrimination or abuse. So yes, WE are all HER in one way or the other. I hope I succeeded in doing that.
I am so honored to be a part of world pulse and more honored to be a featured storyteller.
Thank you all for the encouragement and support to me and all women all over the world.
Hawwah
You're welcome, dear sister. You wrote it powerfully well! Your award is truly well-deserved! We are honored and happy that you are here, too. Keep on writing! There's no stopping now. :)
Dear Hawwah,
Beautiful. congratulations on being featured story teller, my sister.
Standing together to make the voice louder and clearer. #istandwithyou #istandwithher
love and regards,
anjana
Hello Anjana,
Thank you for your kind words.
Yes, we need to stand together to be able to really make any difference for us.
Because no one else will.
Thank you for the honor.
Hawwah
Thank you for sharing
Hello Anita,
Thank you for your kind comment.
I appreciate it greatly.
Knowing we can make a difference and doing it in our own little way is the greatest power of all.
Thank you to everyone on world pulse.
Hawwah
Dearest Hawwah,
Congratulations! I knew this was waiting for you :-).
When is time for flying to the moon, I will like to be a guest haha :-).
Regards
Hello Lisbeth,
Thank you for your kind words.
I wonder how you knew it was waiting for me, lols
Thank you for knowing anyways. And yes, we shall all fly to the moon together.
Every one of us. No one will be left behind.
Hawwah
Hahaha :-D
We definitely will fly together ;-).
Hugs
Congrats, Dear Hawwah! Great job!
XX
Hello Jill,
Thank you very much.
I was able to achieve this because of the genuine love and support I got from world pulse.
It's not my own, it is all of us.
Hawwah
Hello dear:-)
You're very welcome!! Yay!!
XX
Dear Hawwah, wonderful and well articulated picture you painted her. thank you very much for sharing and congratulations for winning the wonderful award
Hello Otahelp,
Thank you for your kind words.
Truly appreciate.
Hawwah
Dear Hawwah,
Congratulations on becoming a Featured Storyteller! Your poem is so powerful!
Hello Maen,
Thank you very much for your kind words.
Deeply appreciate.
Hello Hawwah,
Thank you for sharing this meaningful poem that resonates within our hearts; because it has a strong message to all women.
congratulations for the story award winning !
Dear Hawwah,
Congratulations for the story award. What a beautifully crafted writing summarising women's plight in a few short but poignant paragraphs.
The last lines, deep and reflective.
Well done.
Hello Arrey,
Thank you for your kind words and commendation.
Appreciate greatly.
Hawwah
Than my sister for sharing this powerful poem. You ended beautifully "We all are HER" may you continue to shout #IStandWithHer for this is our responsibility to stand with each other.
Dear Hawwah,
Congratulations. Indeed, we are all HER. Keep it flowing
In sisterhood
Marie
Hello Marie,
Thank you for your kind words.
Yes, indeed, we are all HER.
In sisterhood,
Hawwah.
Hi Hawwah!
Thanks for sharing this wonderful poem. Its so inspiring. Congratulations for being a feature story teller. More grease.
Hello Ekitah,
Thank you for your encouragement.
Yes, we must stand with HER.
It's amazing the phenomenal power a Woman gets when she knows she has a Solid Support System. #Istandwithher
Absolutely Wendy.
We all have the power, we are all MAGIC.
What we lack is the support system.
Which is why we MUST support each other and stand together.
No one will do that for us.
World Pulse is a support system and a true blessing.
Dear Sister,
You are so inspiring! Your poem gives me more strength and encourages me to keep standing for her tirelessly despite all odds. I really appreciate you!
Love
Busayo
Dear Busayo,
Thank you very much for your kind words.
Knowing I can inspire someone somewhere is what inspires me.
We must stand TOGETHER
Dear Hawwah,
"I pledge to stand with her for as long as I breathe...I stand with her because I AM HER. We all are HER"
Yes, yes, yes!!! So glad to be standing with you dear sister.
love in sisterhood,
Tam
Dear Tam,
So glad that you also stand with her
We all MUST stand with HER. We are all HER.
In love and sisterhood.
To beautiful and moving poem, thank you for sharing and for your solidarity.
Hugs and love,
Jess.
Hello Jess,
Thank you for your kind words.
In love and sisterhood, we STAND
Outstanding piece.
Thank you, Wendy,
In love and sisterhood.
I have not been here for long but this is beautiful. Keep it up
Dear Isabella,
Thank you for your feedback. It's good to know many sisters can relate.
In love and sisterhood,
Hawwah
Thank you for writing such a touching poem <3
Dear Hawwah,
Your powerful poem has given a voice to my experiences as a survivor of sexual abuse and harassment. Thank you for your words. It is through powerful expressions like these that we can collectively find the strength to break this chain of gender abuse and bias.
Dear Janelleen,
I am honored to know my words have given a voice to your own experience.
That is the objective and motive behind it.
Our voices are our most potent and powerful weapon.
We must use it to the maximum.
In love and sisterhood,
Hawwah
Beautiful piece form a beautiful heart
Dear Efe,
Thank you for your beautiful feedback.
Thank you, Efe,
In sisterhood and love.
Hawwah
Yes We all are Her!
In Solidarity with all!!
Yes Sadrag, we are all her.
Sure the power of women is to stand together in one voice to say NO to oppression so I STAND WITH HER. THANK YOU
Thank you too, Metiege.
In love and sisterhood,
Hawwah. xxx
We are strong Hawwah
We Are strong together as sisters
What a beautiful piece,
thank you for sharing it with us,we should all stand for women's right and fight against gender based voilence.
Lets keep fighting the good fight!
Dear Bara'atu,
Yes, we all must.
No one else will do it for us, and for HER but US.
It is the least we can do is speak up and show up.
In love and sisterhood,
Hawwah.
I agree! Together we are stronger.
Dear Berlotte,
Yes, together we are stronger.
In love and sisterhood,
Hawwah.
Beautiful text, thank you very much, it brought tears to my eyes
/ Sandra
Mexico city
Dear Sandra,
I am glad to know my words resonates with you.
We are all HER.
In love and sisterhood,
Hawwah
Dear Hawwah,
This poem was absolutely beautiful. You did an amazing job of bringing to the surface all the struggles women endure. I loved this, and I stand with her too.
Dear Kiera,
Thank you for your kind words.
I am happy to know that you stand with her too.
In love and sisterhood,
Hawwah.
I can't describe how excited I am right now. what perfection this poem was so descriptive, I read it with all my heart and I felt every pain and heard every whisper asking for help, and yes I choose to stay with her, I will never let go of her hand! thank you very much, i loved every word!
Dear Flavi,
I am honored to know my words moved you.
We must constantly remind ourselves that we are our own best friends, keepers, and supporters.
We must stand for one another.
In love and sisterhood,
Hawwah.
Thank u so much for this beautiful piece. I vow to stand with her, because I am her.
Dear Chinagorom,
We all must stand up for her.
It is the least we can do.
In love and sisterhood,
Hawwah
thanks for sharing, this has really given me a full understanding about what women go through.
Welome Busyhandz
bravo thanks for sharing , please read my first story too
https://www.worldpulse.com/community/users/sumaira-rajput/posts/95562
welcome Sumaria.
Thanks for the tag. Ill read.
Welcome to World Pulse
Hawwah, thank you for this beautiful poem. As a woman who has lived in the same place her whole life, sometimes I struggle with how to connect with and make a difference with women across the globe. This perfectly puts into words what connects us all.
Dear Alafemina,
sending you hugs and positive energy dear.
All women have the same stories irrespective of geographical and cultural differences.
You must never feel alone. Always remember that.
Hello Hawwah,
I absolutely adore this poem. I've read it over so many times each reading with new imagery and ideas. I was wondering if I could perhaps borrow it? I am an art student and I have been trying to put together a piece that universally unites women and their struggles. I think this perfectly puts into words what I have been trying to express!
Thank You for posting,
Claire
Dear Claire,
I will be honoured to have my piece used for your school work.
I am truly happy that a lot of women relate with these words of mine.
Because regardless of whether we acknowledge it or not, that is our reality.
Do not forget to acknowledge appropriately dear, and share the link.
Wish you all the best in your studies.
Hawwah.
Dear Hawwah. I love this. So powerful. It should be shared with all women.