There is a strong push throughout the world to empower women and to ensure gender equality.

Women are far better than men in rearing children. I am always amazed at how mothers are able to juggle four or five tasks simultaneously while attending to other family obligations.

Even when it looks as if they are overwhelmed, they still deliver when it is required. And most mothers do this with more patience and without bickering. It makes one wonder if God possess a feminine nature that remains lethargic in our general understanding of His divine characteristics.

Mothers possess an innate nature to care and love their children no matter what. While we males tend to be strong, aggressive and independent, it is human’s females who possess a caring, loving and tender spirit.

Therefore, when we talk about peace, we get a glimpse of a mother holding a baby in her arms while breast feeding. We see it when a mother is cleaning her baby or lying next to her sick child night and day until it recovers.

Even when she is sick, a mother will not use sickness as an excuse not to tend to her baby. While most fathers look forward to the birth of their child, the mother had to overcome great pain and distress when labouring for the baby. What a wonderful act of sacrificial love.

These attributes are what makes me convinced that womenfolk hold the key to peace. Such self-sacrificing and unselfish love should be able to transform this selfish and hate-ridden world into a peaceful place.

If every human decided to live for the sake of fellow humans there would be no need for war and conflict. The love that Jesus showed His enemies even when they caused him great pain can only be described as a motherly love. And to a mother her children are precious gems and diamonds.

One time or another most of us have been embraced, cuddled and hugged by our mothers when we are in pain or sad. It is profound that when we find ourselves in the darkest time we will call for our mother.

Throughout history, men have tried their utmost to realise peace but to no avail. It could be argued that the reason why peace could not be accomplished in this world is because we have taken for granted women’s role in building it.

While women are blessed with the gift of bringing forth life so they need to play a more prominent role in ushering peace into this world.

Suppressing and denying our womenfolk their rights is working against the goal of peace. This is where I believe policy makers should be careful. They should not confine women’s empowerment within the boundary of economics but should be look at a broader perspective.

Women’s innate ability to care, love and reason are attributes that need to be nurtured so they contribute to peace.

If women are empowered to become peacemakers, I believe peace has a greater chance of realisation.

Women’s gentle and delicate touch is what this stubborn and barren world needs.

Women must give vigour and fire to the cause of peace.

For too long men have been trying so hard to bring peace with such little progress. A mother’s touch is required to get the camel through the needle’s eye.