By DADA AYOKHAI
This year’s International Women’s Day is special in every sense, especially against the backdrop of the growing global awareness about the rights of women and the promotion of gender equality in all spheres of life
To commemorate the Day, the Edo State chapter of the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) has lent its voice to the plethora of issues affecting women across the globe and called for greater attention to their plight
The IWD is celebrated every 8th of March to draw global attention to issues peculiar to women with particular emphasis on gender abuse and violence, reproductive rights as well as gender equality,
The theme of this year’s IWD celebration is, “Invest in Women, Accelerate Progress”.
Edo NAWOJ chairperson, Comrade Adesuwa Ehimuan, in a press release issued by her office to commemorate the Day, urged stakeholders to prioritize policies that promote gender equality in the workplace and many other places, stressing further that doing so would help create a just and egalitarian society where women can unleash their innate talents and also participate fully social, economic and the political affairs of their immediate environment
Comrade Ehumian’s press statement dripped with instances of the plethora of stumbling blocks and hurdles women are made to go through before they can get to the top.
She identified “gender-based violence, limited access to education and/or healthcare, unequal representation in decision-making positions” as some of the major hurdles and urged stakeholders to “prioritize gender equality policies and programmes which promotes women participation in leadership and also the provision of the resources in support of women-owned businesses and initiatives.
Several countries have earmarked elaborate activities to mark the IWD. Women are seen as the epitome of strength and resilience. However, their level of active participation in productive ventures varies from country to country hence the clamour for women’s empowerment and an end to all forms of discrimination and violence against women, especially the girl child.
