AS the world commemorates Mothers’ Day on the 10th of May it would be important for journalists in southern Africa to allow the voices of mothers across the region to be heard.
Women’s stories need to be told this Mother’s Day and beyond.
It is a well-documented fact that women are facing the most difficult time of their lives as a result of the HIV epidemic.
As children run around thinking of ways to show their mothers how much they love them this Mother’s Day- many more mothers have no one to give them that honour as they have lost some, if not all of their children to AIDS.
Many more are failing to access treatment and to prevent their babies from becoming infected with infection, while others are struggling to put a meal on the table for their families.

Instead of just focusing our coverage on the elaborate gestures and events lined up across our different countries for this special day, can we go the extra mile and advocate for the rights of all women, to healthcare, to food, shelter and life, among other things?

Can we move away from being event-focused and talk to women who have never ever heard of Mother’s Day before, who do not even know that such a calendar day exists?
Can we this Mother’s Day talk to the many others who have emerged in the form of grandmothers, aunts, cousins and adoptive mothers, among others and hear their stories?
Can we focus on the children who have had the role of “mother” thrust upon them by circumstances?
That is how we would have played our part as media to celebrate Mother’s Day.

For more information on Mother’s Day and its origins go to:

wwwdayformothers.com
holidays.kaboose.com/mothers-day
Ministries for Women and Social Welfare in your countries