OVER 300 participants converged on the Women’s Optimum Development Foundation (WODEF) for the celebration of the International Women’s Day (IWD), with the theme: Make it happen.
They spoke of their commitment to national development.
The event was held in partnership with the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC), Lagos.
WODEF National Coordinator, Mrs Bimbo Oloyede, had drawn policymakers attention and served as catalyst for change.
She said some people had been asking what women have got to celebrate, noting that the answer given will depend on whether they are optimists or pessimists.
Mrs Oloyede said: “Women have got lots to celebrate with a teenager like Malala becoming a global symbol for the education of girls, despite the fact that same remains unsafe in her own country of birth.
“We are we celebrating when in India, over 90 women are being raped everyday amid a fierce debate as to whether or not the public should be allowed to watch a documentary film shot by the BBC, highlighting the issues surrounding a gang-rape which took place in New Delhi on a bus in 2012, from which the victim later died.
“We are celebrating when instead of providing constructive and enlightening information, the internet and social media platforms are currently being used to promote a sophisticated on-line campaign to lure female recruits to Syria to perpetuate terrorist activities?
“We are celebrating when over 200 girls, in their attempt to better themselves, acquire an education and liberate themselves from continued dependence are still at large, over one-and-a-half years after they were abducted in Chibok, in circumstances that are still not clear?
“We are celebrating when because of Nigeria’s insurgency issues, hundreds of thousands of women, men and children have been internally displaced, forced to live from hand-to-mouth on paltry hand outs; so traumatised by the harsh realities of their present and the bleak uncertainty of their future that even if they had the opportunity, the last thing on their minds would be participating in the democratic process by coming out to vote. After all, we all know that the women and children are the hardest hit, don’t we?”
These points, she said, make the question: ‘what are we celebrating salient whereas in our so-called democratic dispensation, are women more likely to reach reasonable levels of equal representation by appointment or through political Godfathers and less by the ballot box?
“Our celebration will thus be more remarkable, if despite all the pictures painted above, each woman chooses to be an optimist which is why the IWD is not only recognise the global struggle of those working towards gender equality, but also to acknowledge the achievements of women who have made sacrifices in various ways to actualise development and improve the quality of life”.
Mrs Oloyede noted: “Because of Malala and abducted Chibok Girls, girl-child education is now on the front burner of the development agenda of most countries. Also, because the taboo on discussing sexual violence has been broken, several new fast track courts have been created to hear rape cases in India. Because of IDPs, INEC can now acknowledge the democratic rights and needs of other vulnerable groups like the visually impaired, the albinos and the physically challenged. Because of glaring inequality at the polls, women are now working in groups to train and support each other against the elections in 2019”.
She called on the forum not to be passive about the inequality and injustice being witnessed all around but to remain active, vocal and willing to be hands-on to ensure that each person makes a difference to realise the IWD theme and make it happen!
Mrs Oloyede said this year’s theme is to show that women play vital roles as agents of development -from food security to the boardroom and from the theatre to infrastructure- adding: “Women are making it happen and contributing their quota towards socio-economic development, gender equality, women’s empowerment, women’ rights and the eradication of poverty. It is however important for us to carry the young ones along and encourage them to aspire to higher standards by exposing them to real heroes and heroines of development, whom they can emulate”.
Highlight of the occasion was the presentation of ‘Rare Gems’ awards to 16 schools involved in WODEF projects since it started last June. The project is built around the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Mrs, Oloyede said eight schools researched a goal each to identify, actualising each goal, the others evaluates the Lagos State Government’s efforts to achieve the MDGs.
The awardees, she said, “were nominated by the students and selected finally by our panel of judges”.
She congratulated them on their determination to make an impact not because they are looking for applause, “but because they were determined to break out of the box of ordinary, therefore, they have become extraordinary because they thought no one was watching”.
Her NGO, Mrs Oloyede said, remained grateful to UNIC, UNFPA and other supporters for their collaboration, encouragement and partnership related to the Rare Gems project.
The awardees are:
• Eradication of extreme poverty and hunger received by Mrs Omowale Ogunride.
• Achieving Universal Primary Education went to Hajia Maryam Garuba.
• Promote Gender Equality & Empower Women was awarded to Her Excellency
• Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire was received by Dettol.
• Improve maternal health/Reducing Child Mortality was given to Ms.Ifeyinwa Madu.
• Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria & other Diseases went to Late Dr Stella Adadevoh.
• Goal 8 winner: Developing a global partnership for development by Mr Saheed Adepoju.
Dignitaries in attendance included the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, representative of Lagos State First Lady, Dame Emanuela Abimbola Fashola, Mrs Rhoda Ayinde, representatives of UNFPA, Dr. Amaka Haruna and UNAIDS, Dr O. Asa, who gave goodwill messages.
