It is past time for women to take their rightful place, side by

Hear the call of Hillary Clinton, spoken with the weight of centuries behind it: “It is past time for women to take their rightful place, side by side with men, in the rooms where the fates of peoples, where their children's and grandchildren's fates, are decided.” These are not idle words, but a summons to justice long denied. They are the echo of countless voices silenced, the fulfillment of struggles fought by mothers, daughters, and sisters who demanded that their wisdom be heard in the councils of power.

For too long, women were barred from those chambers where laws were written, where wars were declared, where futures were shaped. The decisions that determined the lives of their families were made in their absence, as though their perspective were unworthy, as though their destiny must be dictated rather than chosen. Clinton’s words rise as both lament and command: lament for the ages of exclusion, and command that the time for waiting is over—it is past time for equality.

History gives us shining examples of what happens when women do enter these sacred halls. Consider Eleanor Roosevelt, who as First Lady did not remain silent in the shadows, but became a champion of human rights. At the founding of the United Nations, she chaired the committee that drafted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a document that still stands as a moral beacon for the world. Would this have been achieved had women not been present in the room? Surely not. Her voice gave shape to a vision broader than conquest, one rooted in dignity and care.

Or look to Golda Meir of Israel, Indira Gandhi of India, and Margaret Thatcher of Britain—leaders who stood as heads of nations in times of crisis. Whether one agreed with their policies or not, their presence shattered the myth that governance was the domain of men alone. They proved by their very being that the fates of peoples can and must be guided by the wisdom of women as well as men. Each act of leadership, each decision taken, became a stone laid on the path toward equality.

Yet Clinton’s words remind us that the struggle is not over. Around the world, even today, women are underrepresented in parliaments, boardrooms, and councils. The imbalance is not only unjust—it is dangerous. For when half of humanity is absent from decision-making, half of wisdom, half of compassion, half of perspective is lost. A house cannot stand on one pillar, nor can the future of humanity rest upon the voice of men alone. To deny women their place in these rooms is to cripple the destiny of nations.

The lesson is clear: if we would shape a world worthy of our children, we must ensure that women stand side by side with men in every hall where decisions are made. Practical action follows: demand representation, mentor women into leadership, break the barriers of prejudice in workplaces, and speak against cultures that silence women’s voices. Support not only symbolic inclusion, but real power-sharing, so that decisions reflect the wholeness of humanity.

Therefore, O seekers of justice, let Clinton’s words burn within you: it is past time. The hour is not tomorrow, nor someday—it is now. Let no chamber remain closed, no council remain one-sided, no decision be made without the full chorus of humanity present. For only when men and women together decide the fates of peoples will the world find balance, and only then will our children and grandchildren inherit a future shaped by the wisdom of all.