Today is a day to stop and take notice of all of the incredible actions and marvellous strength of the women in your life, your community, around the globe, and throughout history. It’s easy to take for granted the rights that women before us have fought so hard to win, and equally as easy to be complacent in the fight for rights that we have yet to win. Today is a day to remember all of this–the victories, the tragedies, the injustices, and the heroines.
The motto of this year’s International Women’s Day is to #BeBoldForChange, and we at Bamba want to do our part to spread this message. We believe that women should be bold in their adventures, with the will and courage and the safety to travel solo and in groups, to connect with women the world over, and to lift each other up by discovering our shared experiences. We recognize that it is a grave injustice and a serious tragedy that so many women feel uncomfortable and afraid to see the world on their own or enter themselves into foreign situations–all with good reason.
We strive for a world where women don’t need to be afraid to walk the streets alone or explore a new place after dark. We strive for a world where solo travel isn’t a boys club, and women travellers aren’t plagued by questions of “Aren’t you afraid? Shouldn’t you be worried? Wouldn’t it be better if you were travelling with a man?” We strive for respect as backpackers, as travellers, and as human beings.
We also believe that women should be able to feel comfortable, supported, and enabled to be bold and be themselves in their daily lives, at home or on the road. This International Women’s day, we encourage you to #BeBoldForChange and take a stand for things you believe in. Stand up for other women. Encourage the ladies in your life that they can do anything and are worthy of everything. We promise to do the same.
This International Women’s Day we want everyone to be able to #ExperienceLife.