WE SALUTE OUR MOTHERS (MAY 10, 2010)

YESTERDAY was a significant day for mothers as many countries in the world marked Mothers Day to celebrate mothers for their contribution to building peaceful and prosperous societies and families.
For many mothers, the day certainly provided an opportunity to reflect on their roles in society and also make a candid assessment of the promise and challenges of the future.
Mothers Day, celebrated in the second Sunday in May in many countries across the world, has an important history, with some accounts indicating that the day emerged from a custom of mother worship in ancient Greece.
The recognition of the role of women (and for that matter, mothers) in building a peaceful and prosperous country is aptly expressed in the famous ‘Mothers Day Proclamation’ by Julia Ward Howe, an American social activist, in 1870.
In response to the American Civil War and the Franco-Prussian War, Howe believed that women had a responsibility to shape their societies at the political level and she was the first to proclaim Mothers Day with her famous declaration.
However, Anna Marie Javis is credited with the celebration of the day on the second Sunday in May and she was also instrumental in helping make the day a holiday in the US.
Mothering, like any human endeavour, has its own challenges and excitement. From the day of conception to delivery, a woman builds a strong attachment with her child and this serves as a source of joy and sheer ecstasy.
The contribution of mothers to the upbringing of children and helping to shape societal values and morals have been very significant. Today’s woman is not just a homemaker; she also plays an important economic role to help in the financial upkeep of the home.
Yet, despite the weight of having to combine these roles, mothers have done very little complaining; instead, they diligently and selflessly contribute to build their families and societies.
However, in spite of the phenomenal contribution of mothers, they continue to suffer deprivation, especially in developing countries.
Some of the serious challenges mothers continue to face are maternal health issues and illiteracy.
One famous Ghanaian missionary and teacher, Dr James Emmanuel Kwegyir Aggrey, once remarked, “If you educate a man, you educate an individual, but if you educate a woman, you educate a nation.”
The astute intellectual that he was, Dr Aggrey obviously appreciated the great impact an educated woman could make on her society and the fact that a woman, by virtue of her motherly nature, could impact more lives in society with relative ease.
Today, the relevance of that saying continues to inspire initiatives and actions that are dedicated to encouraging more girls and women to enrol in schools.
The DAILY GRAPHIC believes that Mothers Day should serve to encourage the government to rededicate itself to ideals that seek to improve the lives of women and children who, no doubt, constitute the vulnerable class in society.
We also wish to urge men to endeavour to support women and children and avoid acts, such as violence, that are inimical to the development of women and children.
The DAILY GRAPHIC congratulates all mothers and, indeed, women in general on the occasion of Mothers Day and urges them to continue to contribute their lot to help build more prosperous and peaceful societies.