International women’s day: Cross River government launches Gender Strategic Plan

The Cross River State government Women Affairs has launched the Gender Strategic Plan to commemorate the 2023 International women’s Day.

The state Gender Strategic Plan was launched yesterday at the Ministry of Women Affairs, Cross River State alongside the International women’s Day celebration, a global event set aside by the United Nations (UN) every 8th of March to celebrate women across the world.

Representing the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Prof. Gertrude Njar, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs, Dr Alice Egbe said the ministry with support from its partners decided to launch the state Gender Strategic Plan to commemorate the 2023 IWD.

Dr Egbe who prayed for the quick release of the Commissioner, who has been under captive by kidnappers for over a month, said this year’s theme; Digital Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality is aimed at celebrating the contribution of women and girls in technology and online education.

“It is with mixed feelings that I present my address to you on behalf of my boss, Commissioner for Women Affairs. I am not happy that she is here.

“However, I am happy that we are celebrating women and girls today all over the world. It is our prayer that God will bring her out very soon in good health,” she said.

“Continuing, the Permanent Secretary said: “We are launching the state gender strategic plan today. This document is a five-year plan that will direct gender programming. It is a blueprint that will guide our activities on gender.”

While urging their partners to study the document, She assured them that the Ministry would follow the plan religiously, explaining that the document would be reviewed from time to time in due course.

The Chief of Party, Center for Clinical Care and Clinical Research, Adekoya Peters who was represented by the state Programme Manager, Dr Grace Essien said the journey to launch a state strategic plan started in 2021 with support from the Women’s Aids Collective (WACOL) and CCCRN took over in 2022 but CUSO International decided to complete the project.

Dr Essien who spoke to The Guardian shortly after the launching ceremony explained that why IWD was chosen to launch the plan was because this year’s theme centred around gender equality.

She added that there was a need for women and girls in the state to catch up with the moving world in innovation and technology in order to understand their rights and privilege.