The Crust of Progress | Eme's Kitchen Experience

I enjoyed many privileges growing up as a girl, especially as the first female child of my parents. Although those privileges didn't shield me from discipline and reset slaps, they offered me the opportunity to be and express myself freely.

My parents placed a profound value on education, believing that a gift without education was meaningless. With this understanding, I started my formal education at the age of 18 months and excelled, completing my O'levels quickly.

Since I was yet to turn 16 and quite petite, some suggested to my father that he delay my university education. Thankfully, he rejected that advice. He believed that educating a woman was an investment of great return, one capable of promoting progress in any environment. He felt that any short-term financial strain would be eclipsed by the long-term benefits of having an educated daughter.

Sadly, that is not the story for every woman. Many women today are either partially or totally uneducated, subjected to unreasonable expectations, and kept at a disadvantage. In some cultures, women are seen as objects for male dominance and reproduction. Marginalized and denied basic human rights, women's progress requires continued awareness and action. This is the focus of International Women's Day (IWD).

This year's IWD theme, "Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress," emphasizes achieving gender equality and women's well-being in all aspects of life. Investing in women's economic opportunities, such as education, skills development, and access to finance, is crucial for a more equitable and prosperous world.

Of course, investing in women will not be a walk in the park. It requires challenging established biases. But consider this analogy: society is like a pizza, and women are like the crust. The crust is arguably the foundation, affecting the entire pizza's quality. Just as the time invested in making the crust determines the pizza's success, so too does investing in women determine the success of society.

Perfecting the crust was paramount when I made my first pizza. I spent hours meticulously mixing, kneading, and proofing the dough. This step is essential, regardless of your preference for a thick or thin crust. After all, the crust is the foundation of any great pizza, and it needs to be built right from the start.

A society lacking enlightened, educated, and empowered women cannot truly be called progressive. Just as we cannot call it pizza without a crust, we cannot have a progressive society without women.

Let's do the homework, inspire inclusion, invest in women, and accelerate progress.

PS: I love my pizza with a lot of cheese 🤤