Since 1911, International Women's Day has been celebrated across the world on March 8. Rightly so. But how should it be done?
By addressing the continuing inequalities between men and women. And by us men taking a clear stand, speaking out against gender-based violence and against the lack of rights, representation and resources for women.
Tuesday should not be simply a day to express concern, but a day to ponder what action men and women should take.
It is time to look at the realities around us:
Women make up half of the world's population, yet represent 70% of the world's poor.
Only one in five parliamentarians in the world is a woman.
In peace processes women are almost absent around the negotiating tables.
Hundreds of thousands of women become victims of maternal mortality each year.
Every day, 39,000 girls under the age of 18 are married -- often against their will.
One in three women in the world will experience violence in their lifetime.
It is equally important to realise the potential of women in the economic development of our societies. It is estimated that some countries' GDP could increase by as much as 35% if women's participation in the labour market were at the same level as that of men.
I am often asked why Sweden seems to be doing relatively well on the gender equality scale. I try to respond with a word of caution. We are not there yet. There is still much more to address, not least the gender pay gap and gender-based violence.
But yes, progress has been made. One crucial factor has been the women's movement. A vibrant civil society is key to progress in any country. Its constant advocacy and political pressure over the decades has made a lot of difference.
What we need much more of, however, is a movement of us men engaging for gender equality and the rights of women. I have personally been working together with such groups in countries as different as the Ukraine, Vietnam and Sweden.
And much more is needed to influence the political agenda and to make change happen in real life. A quote from a man interviewed in a multi-country study on men and violence by the United Nations in Asia and the Pacific tells us a lot about the kind of attitudes we are facing: "If a man beats his wife, the wife must have done something she shouldn't. Disobedient wives should be beaten."
It is a question of power: Some men -- far too many unfortunately -- believe men should have power over women. And some men believe they have the right to use violence at their discretion, especially when they feel that their power and privileges are challenged.
This is a mindset that is fundamentally flawed from all possible aspects, which makes it even more frustrating that it is still so entrenched.
Much of the change needs to come from us men.
First of all, we have to make the fundamental distinction between right and wrong. For example, how can it ever be OK for parents to marry their daughters off at too young an age? How can it be accepted that men are negotiating peace while the burden of conflicts to a large extent is carried by women? How can it be that still so many boys and men continue to be the perpetrators of violence against women and girls? And why do others not take a clear stand against the ongoing abuse?
Second, we men must realise that we have so much to gain from equal gender relations. Not least when we, as fathers, share the responsibility for our children, taking the time with them that they need -- including using, when available, the opportunities for parental leave. When the Swedish government reserved a specific number of weeks of the parental leave for fathers, it had a significant effect. Now more than eight out of 10 fathers use that opportunity to be at home with their children when they are small. I did it myself, and I still feel I benefit from it more than 20 years later.
The HeforShe campaign initiated by UN Women and strongly supported by the Swedish government and our embassy here in Bangkok is a way to reach out to and engage us men. It is not the only one but it is an excellent one. I am encouraged to see more Thai men signing up to the HeforShe campaign (www.heforshe.org) every day and I hope this trend will continue.
This International Women's Day should, apart from what it already is, also become an international men's day for women's rights. A day when men take a clear stand.
This is not about empty sentiment. This is about equal rights. And we would all benefit from that. Hence, why do we still need to wait to see it happen?
Staffan Herrström is the Swedish ambassador to Thailand and Lao PDR.