video transcript

In a small Pakistani village, 44 year old Nabeela Bano walks home with her buffalo. The money she earns selling it's milk helps put her four daughters through school. Eight years ago she was widowed, and has fought everyday since to provide the kind of life for her family she never had. Strong taboos still exist in Pakistan against women. In the capital Islamabad, female members of parliament praise the progress of women's rights saying a substantial amount of funding has been allocated for girls' schools. But in Bano's village, those schools remain to be seen. Her daughters walk to another village everyday to attend class as there are no schools for girls here. Bano's decision to continue her daughters education has drawn criticism from villagers, but praise and respect from her daughters. ( SOUNDBITE) (Urdu) JAVAIRIA BIBI, DAUGHTER OF NABEELA BANO, SAYING: "He said, 'do not send the girls to school anymore.' But my mother said, 'I could not study myself, and if I stop my daughters from getting educated, it will be too bad. Look at my plight. If I was educated, I would have been able to do something better today. My daughters are going to study.' My mother stands up like a rock in front of everyone (who does not want us to go to school)." International Women's Day, March 8th, is held every year to help nations worldwide promote and protect women's rights. And to honour women like Bano who fights daily to improve the life of her daughters. I am doing all this only for my children, she said. If I do not, who will? There is no one else.