Mr. Speaker, with International Women's Day celebrations still front of mind, let us take a moment to reflect on how far we have come.
The advances that we celebrate today were never a foregone conclusion. They happened because one generation of women after another had the courage to challenge what seemed unchangeable. International Women's Day is more than simply a time to look back. It is an opportunity for us to look at the world as it is today, and the current context calls for clarity.
In many parts of the world, conflict and crises are hitting women and children hard. Even in our societies, certain realities remind us that more work needs to be done on the road to equality. Women's rights cannot be taken for granted. They exist, advance or regress depending on the choices we make. Ultimately, equality is not built only on great strides forward. It is built every time we decide to take—