In recent weeks, religious Sisters from a congregation in Chile told national television their stories of abuse by priests and other nuns — and how those in authority knew but failed to protect them. In India, a nun filed a formal charge against a bishop whom she accused of having raped her.

While it is indeed commendable for men to show appreciation for women — preferably also on the other 364 days in the year — the commercialisation of Women’s Day as a glorified Mothers’ Day is an unwelcome subversion of the meaning of this public holiday.