By: Mayen Etim
KADUNA, North-West, Nigeria – The Women Initiative for Sustainable Environment, (WISE), an NGO, has organised a funfair for more than 230 women in Kaduna, as part of activities to celebrate the 2020 International Women’s Day (IWD).
The activities include dancing and singing competition, feasting, cutting of cake, clean cook stove demonstration and distribution of several gifts to the women.
Some of the gift items included clean cook stove, cooking oil, key holders and flash drives to promote digital inclusion among women.
The Founder and Programme Director of the NGO, Ms Olanike Olugboji, said that the event was to celebrate women and their contributions to the society.
Olugboji added that the forum was an avenue for women to reflect on progress and challenges in accelerating gender equality and women and girl’s empowerment.
She said that the theme of the 2020 IWD, “I am a Generation Equality” demands equity for women, gender inclusion, end to sexual harassment and all forms of violence against women and girls.
She stressed the need for provision of healthcare services that respond to the needs of women, equal participation in party politics and decision making in all areas of life.
According to her, the Day is marked to raise women consciousness of the opportunities around them and how to tap them for better living.
“It is about women supporting their fellow women to succeed in life and protecting the rights of women and girls when abused.
“We want to see more women utilising opportunities around them, particularly digital platforms to promote their businesses,” she said.
Also speaking, Mrs Ruth Olajide, a legal practitioner, who spoke on the topic, “Women’s Rights as a Means to Achieving Gender Equality”, noted that women rights were simply human rights.
Olajide, however, noted that women and girls were being abused by people that should be protecting them, stressing that women need to speak out in defense of their fellow women.
On her part, Vice President of MicroManna, Kaduna, Mrs Precious Nnaedozie, urged women to key into the digital world and tap from its numerous benefits.
Nnaedozie advised women and girls to use available digital platforms to promote their businesses and use it to fight all forms of gender-based violence.
She said that MicroManna in partnership with WISE, would provide free training to 50 women, on how to make the best use of digital platforms, particularly social media to promote their businesses online.
Some gift items were distributed with support from MicroManna, Propcom, Gleaming Start Enterprises, Fati Stove, and Envirofit among others.
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