Shy young girl, downcast eyes Fingers twisting anxiously
Exchanged for gold, honor sold As two men barter for her prize
Culture casts her final fate Enslaved for life, tortured by hate

Chattel by her gender chained Girl of twelve dons a wedding gown
Silent cries from child bride As blows from her new family rain down
Killed for honor, no one will tell Abuse that tolls a mourning bell

Women hold up half the sky Women hold up half the sky

The sky weeps tears of forsaken lives
Yet knowledge creates the will to survive
Sisters worldwide we shall uphold
Their scarlet stories must be told

Knowledge belongs to the world When shared by all, keeps us alive
But half the sky is denied, Kept in darkness by the unwise
In solidarity we shall rage, Change to cleanse these unjust ways

Women hold up half the sky Women hold up half the sky

We will shout til all are heard, We will work to end this war
We will seek to understand, Knowledge belongs to everyone