15 March 2025 | The Gurkha Centre | Hayes | By Hari Bhandari
A short speech by Reena Gyawali cited during IWD celebration organised by The Gurkha Centre.
“I am honoured to stand here today, given the chance to speak—a chance my grandmother never had. A chance that many women before me never had. But today, I am here to use my voice not just for myself, but for them. For the women who came before me, who lived in silence, not because they had nothing to say, but because they were never given the space to be heard.
I come from a lineage of strength, sacrifice, and resilience. My grandmother was a Gurkhali woman, caught between two cultures—Nepali and Burmese. She never had the opportunity to study, to learn how to read or write. She struggled, not just with language, but with understanding the world beyond the walls of her home. She could not fully speak Nepali, nor could she master Burmese. And because of that, she remained unheard.
My grandfather was a soldier, a Gurkha who joined the British Army at just sixteen. He gave himself to a cause greater than himself, serving with honour and responsibility. He ensured his family was provided for. But at home, tradition ruled. He worked, my grandmother stayed home. She tried to voice her thoughts, but whenever she corrected him, she was told, “Don’t talk back.” Not out of cruelty, but because that was the way things had always been.
For years, I thought this was normal. Women accepting silence. Men carrying responsibility but never questioning the system that shaped them.
Then, I came to the UK. And I saw a different world. A world where women spoke freely, where they had access to education, where their opinions were not just tolerated but valued. I realized something painful yet powerful—my grandmother was never weak. She was never incapable. She was simply denied the opportunity to learn, to grow, to express herself.
Her silence was not her choice—it was the result of a culture that never gave her the tools to speak. A culture where women were expected to remain in the background, where knowledge was a privilege, not a right.
But human rights are not privileges. They belong to everyone.
I am standing here today, not to blame, but to bring change. Because no grandmother, no mother, no woman should be left unheard just because she was never given the chance to speak.
It is time we give them that chance.
It is time we listen.”
Reena’s words remind us that change begins with recognition. By understanding the struggles of those who came before us, we can challenge the barriers that still exist today.
At The Gurkha Centre, we are committed to ensuring that no woman—no grandmother, no mother, no daughter—remains unheard. Through education, advocacy, and community support, we strive to create spaces where women’s voices are valued, where they have access to opportunities, and where their stories can be told.
But change requires all of us. It starts with listening. It starts with lifting each other up. So today, let’s ask ourselves: How can we create a world where every woman has the chance to speak, to learn, to lead?
Let’s honour the past by shaping a future where silence is no longer the norm. Let’s ensure that every woman, regardless of her background, has the right to be heard.
Together, we can break the silence.
