For the fourteen women, and the fourteen x fourteen millions more

…Let’s light a candle

Let’s light another candle

For old women, rejected wives, and all women

Powerless and silenced,

Whose children have forgotten the ones who gave them birth

Let’s light a candle

Let’s light another candle,

For the childless wives, violated women and all women scorned

Whose brothers have forgotten the same mothers they mourned

Let’s light a candle

Let’s light another candle

For women mutilated by parents, battered by partners,

All women killed by laws of custom,

Whose families hold sacrosanct such “cultural practice”

Let’s light a candle

Let’s light another candle

For “comfort women”, “ethnically polluted” women,

All women brutalized by rape and the sanctions of war

Whose states have abandoned them; displaced, seeking refuge

Let’s light a candle

Let’s light another candle

For girl children unmourned in death, oppressed in life

All girls unborn to life,

Whose people place no honour in girls

Let’s light a candle

Let’s light another candle

Also for warrior women working for women,

All females, all feminists, all sisters in spirit,

Let’s light a candle

Let’s light another candle.

Dr Abena Busia is a Professor of Literature, writer, teacher, poet, social justice activist and currently lectures at Rutgers Universiy, New Jersey.