PRESS RELEASE – INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY – WOMEN CELEBRATING WOMEN

International Women's Day which is celebrated March 8 every year is a day dedicated to honoring the achievements of women throughout history and all across the globe, and is typically a day for women from all different backgrounds and cultures to band together to fight for gender equal opportunity, access and women's rights. A day set aside to celebrating women’s achievements in the social, economic, cultural, and political spheres.

Gender parity is a statistical measure that looks at women and men through their income, education, and work hours, among other points. This sociological metric helps researchers understand how society is progressing or regressing in specific areas. It’s also an important tool for policymakers striving towards equal opportunities and access.

Of course, the global celebration of International Women’s Day is a time for reflection of how far women have come, advocacy for what is still needed, and action to continue breaking down barriers. With over a century of history, IWD is a growing movement centered on unity and strength.

And that strength can be drawn from Women supporting their kind in all facets of life. Be it in farm work, health related matters, technology, homes, religious places, workplaces, business and above all representations in communities, local government, states and national decision making levels. Women have always been known to stick together over the years. What changed along the line?

Women have very strong social ties and a mind to achieve anything they agree to do which is why we must work together to eliminate all forms of discrimination, marginalisation and segregation against us and exclusion of women in peace building.

Violence against women is real and women are the drivers of this violence by keeping quiet in the face of such acts or supporting and insisting that those activities be carried out to the latter. Men made these cultural and traditional laws and policies and women are the custodian and drivers of them. From harmful Widowhood practices to Early Marriage to Female Genital Mutilation, to Rape, gender discrimination in homes by agreeing and driving that girls are to learn domestic chores while the male children play ball, watch television and generally enjoy themselves.

For us to achieve gender equal opportunities and access, we must stand together by believing in the same things and working towards the elimination of all cultural, religious and social harmful activities towards women. We must promote women representation in all fronts because it is only women that can present women issues better and press that our issues be given serious attention.

Women at the rural areas must be adequately engaged and advocated to for the desired effects and impact. Laws, conventions and policies must be broken down and translated into local dialects and explained to all for women to understand how our roles have to be improved and to men for them to understand the laws against those harmful practices.

Women Political aspirants must advocate to other women in position of authorities as well as women in business who can give financial backing to their aspirations and ambitions; we must also start thinking about crowdfunding and sourcing for our women political aspirants who are genuinely ready to serve. Women in Politics and positions of authority must also adopt women mentees so that at the end of their tenures or when they expire by way of natural end, there will be people walking into their shoes to take over and continue from where they stopped.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help is established to carry out advocacies on Health, Gender, Environment and Peace Building to hard-to-reach, disadvantaged and socially excluded vulnerable groups in our society. Our frame work is designed to meet our vision which is a world where everyone especially women, youths and children are empowered to utilize their potentials to full, rewarding and sustainable lives and our mission is to facilitate innovative and sustainable modality where everyone will be socially, morally and mentally empowered, economically self-reliant through education and health development for sustainable quality of life.

#IWD2020

#GENERATIONEQUALITY

#EQUALACCESSFORWOMEN

#EQUALOPPORTUNITYFORWOMEN

#EACHFOREQUAL

#BALANCEFORBETTER

#BOLDFORCHANGE

#PRESSFORPROGRESS

 Signed

Loretta Ahuokpeme

Executive Director

+234 7030879963