BY JUDE OSSAI / ENUGU
The Women’s Aid Collective (WACOL) and West & Central African Rights Coalition (WAWORC) yesterday joined the global community to celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day.
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Addressing a press conference in Enugu on Friday before marching with the participants to Enugu State House of Assembly, the Executive Director of WACOL, Professor Joy Ezeilo (SAN), urged the Nigerian government, civil society organisations, and individuals to reaffirm their commitment to promoting gender equality and empowering women.
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Ezeilo said, “We must collaborate to create a society where women have equal access to opportunities, resources, and decision-making power.
According to her, “This year’s theme, “For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment,” resonates deeply in Nigeria, where women continue to face significant challenges in their pursuit of equality and empowerment.”
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“Nigeria, several factors, namely harmful traditional/cultural practices, poverty, ignorance, poor implementation of relevant laws/policies and corruption, have continued to exacerbate existing impunity and inequality.”
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“Inadequate data on the exact number of violations in the country can easily be attributed to low reportage due to fear of stigmatization, victim blaming and reprisal attacks. Lack of political and economic will by relevant Governmental agencies to implement laws and policies that affect women continues to undermine women’s progress and gender equality agenda.”
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“Daily, WACOL/Tamar SARC handles approximately 20 cases of violence against women and girls. The forms of violence encompass physical, psychological, socio-economic and sexual violence, including harmful practices and sexual and reproductive health rights.
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“Despite the challenges faced over the years, women have achieved significant victories and reached important milestones in their quest to take charge of their lives and maximize their potential.
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“Nigerian women have made remarkable strides in various fields, including business, politics, education, and the arts. Notable figures such as Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Amina Mohammed, and Oby Ezekwesili, along with countless unsung heroines, serve as shining examples of Nigerian women’s potential and capabilities.
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“There is still much work to be done for Nigerian women. They continue to face challenges such as gender-based violence, limited access to justice, education, economic opportunities, and healthcare. Additionally, they are underrepresented in leadership positions and experience discrimination and violence in various forms”, she stated.
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The high point of the celebration was a visit to the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Uche Ugwu who was represented by Hon. Osita Eze.
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The Speaker was optimism that the issues raised by the women would be settled as much as possible.
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Eze noted that the state government is women friendly, enumerating the various policies and programmes favouring gender equality.
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Earlier, the Executive Director of WACOL, Professor Ezeilo (SAN) told the Speaker, “We must collaborate to create a society where women have equal access to opportunities, resources, and decision-making power.
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The WACOL Executive Director demanded for increased representation of women in power and leadership in Nigeria, adding, “We are advocating affirmative action, such as proportional representation and designated seats, to enhance women’s representation in elected and appointed positions.”
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Other demands included Law Reform where the group called on the National Assembly to revise all our laws to comply with the international and regional human rights obligations, especially the urgent domestication of the United Nations Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Protocol to the African Charter on Women’s Rights in Africa (Maputo: Protocol 2003). “We need urgent legislative enactment of the Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill (GEOB) across Nigeria.”
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“On Economic Empowerment they demanded policies and programmes that promote women’s economic empowerment, including access to land, finance, markets, and job opportunities.
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For access to education, they called for improved education for girls and women, particularly in rural and disadvantaged areas, stressing, “Women and girls with disability suffer additionally, and their interest must be mainstreamed in education that would provide them access to decent livelihood.”
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To end Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), the group condemned all forms of violence against women and girls and demand effective implementation of extant laws and policies to prevent and respond to such violence.
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“The law enforcement mechanisms are weak and fragmented, and gender justice continues to elude women across ethnic, class and religious groupings”, the participants noted.
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“We also call for comprehensive national policies to ensure accountability in sexual harassment cases in educational institutions and workplaces. Moving forward, stakeholders must prioritise the adoption of human rights and survivor-centered approaches in responding to VAWG cases.
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“The time is now to end all forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG) in Nigeria and ensure the empowerment of all women and girls as adumbrated in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of which inclusion is paramount, leaving no one behind.
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“I urge all, particularly men, to stand in solidarity with women in Nigeria as we commemorate the IWD: 2025. Progress for women is progress for men and society in general. Solidarity with women’s groups, feminist movements, and organisations is imperative in building the nation of our dreams”, she stated.
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