As the International Women’s Day approaches, governments at all levels have been tasked to stop all forms of gender disparity through sound policies and embrace societal advancement .
A non governmental organisation , Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre , made the call in a communique issued at the end of a two-day review meeting on Beijing declaration and platform for action organised in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Prof Roibito Ekpiten-Ekanem of the University of Cross Rivers, in a keynote presentation on “Overview of the Beijing Conference” explained the decision of the conference and how the outcome had impacted on women development so far.
In her presentation on “Women in Armed Conflict”, Bridget Osakwe said women in the Niger Delta are still living under conflict.
Osakwe said, “Women are disproportionately affected by the devastating consequences of war, experiencing heightened risks of sexual violence, displacement, lack of access to basic necessities, and disruption to their livelihoods”.
Director of Kebetkache, Emem Okon explained that the group gathered women from across communities in the six Niger Delta states, to review how women have fared 30 years after the Beijing Platform for Action was developed specifically to tackle challenges facing women.
According to Okon, the conference had highlighted the 12 critical areas of concern to include “women and poverty, education and training of women, health, violence against women, armed conflict, economy, power and decision-making, human rights, media, environment and, the girl child”.
Okon stated that the objective of the meeting was to evaluate the level of implementation of the declaration and the achievements within the South-South region, in ensuring that women’s concerns are incorporated into all sectors and decision-making levels.
She regretted that women have been constrained over the years because of cultural norms and practices that are inimical to the actualisation of the critical concerns of the Beijing platform for action declaration.
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“Women in different communities in the Niger Delta are not fully included in decision-making positions, leading to lack of rapid transformative development in society.
“Many women are recognised as caregivers, good home managers, and responsible for family chores, but society does not deem them fit to handle key public leadership positions.
“Violence against women and girls in the cases of rape is on the rise because there is no naming and shame of perpetrators.”
Participants were drawn from Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, and Rivers, with seasoned facilitators from Lagos and Abuja.
