Osemedua Speaking exclusively to The Nation, the convener of the conference, Naomi Osemedua, shed light on the rationale behind Women with Stories Global Conference.
Her words: “We are trying to open up a global community as we don’t want women to stay in the places of anger, we see people committing suicide, lots of mental cases and many women feels they are in a hopeless situation. A woman who is bruised and battered can never serve at her best. We want them to know that they can channel these pains into something rewarding. They should know that they are valuable and their stories are worth sharing.
Women With Stories International, according to Naomi Osemedua, aimed to provide a safe platform for women to share their stories and give hope and inspiration to others as they are equipped with different tools for their healing and fulfilment.
“The expectations and demands on women & girls around the world are high, and often times, seem unachievable. But women & girls frequently experience breakthrough moments of self-acceptance and self-love, moments when they overcome the expectations of others and decide to live their lives as they choose. When women & girls share their stories of personal triumph, they often find that telling their story is itself an act of self-empowerment. And then others are inspired and changed by reading real stories of overcoming struggles with fear, lapses of confidence or cultural norms. Sharing stories of personal triumph has the potential to give hope, to inspire, and to help change lives. Beyond encouraging and supporting storytelling as a tool for empowerment, we strive to increase awareness of initiatives that advance the safety, health, education and empowerment of women & girls globally.
She said the conference was instituted in a bid to encourage women to come out and speak up, as well as ensure that women are motivated by the stories of others to stand strong and forge ahead.
“We believe that every woman can change their narrative through storytelling and the platform is targeted at helping them identify limiting and self–sabotaging beliefs stopping them from living their best lives while drawing inspiration and lessons from influential women around the world,” she concluded.