Women
Insight Into Rivers Workplace Creche
Rivers State Government on Tuesday commissioned a workplace crèche for nursing working mothers in the civil service.
Located at the right wing, ground floor of the Podium Block, State Secretariat complex, Port Harcourt, the crèche is powered by the State Ministry of Women Affairs as part of her missions to mobilise resources to improve the lives of Rivers women and girls and also empower them to be productive and self-reliant.
According to the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Joeba West, it is established to cushion the challenges faced by nursing mothers by providing adequate care for babies during working hours especially for public servants within the state secretariat complex.
Describing the facility as a “home at workplace for babies and toddlers,” the commissioner said it offers solid educational and recreational activities for babies and toddlers with well trained minders, teachers and a certified and experienced nurse to at tend to the children.
The crèche she explained which will admit children from the ages of two months to two years, is segmented into reception/ waiting room, playroom, classroom, feeding room, sleeping room, kitchenette, laundry, bath/rest room, staff room and a store, furnished with modern equipments and child-friendly products for the safety of the children.
The health and hygiene of the children are also considered paramount as the area is exclusively and properly sanitised with harmless products.
In the words of the former Head of Service, Mrs Esther Anucha, the establishment of a crèche of such status is a life made easy for nursing mothers in the Secretariat Complex as it would afford them a relaxable atmosphere to work knowing that their babies are in safe hands.
Hence, if the women of the state will avail themselves the opportunity provided them by the provision of the crèche, there will be no regrets whatsoever.
For once, they will be productive in their service to the State as well as efficient.
It is no gainsaying the fact that one of the things that easily get women distracted in their job and make them less concentrated and devoted is the thought of their babies in the hand of total strangers, or distance away from them. Those who try taking their babies along to work, end up not doing the work at all.
Perhaps, it is for this reason that the incumbent Head of Service, Barr. Samuel T. LongJohn, said that the introduction of the workplace crèche is a burden off the shoulders of working mothers.
Therefore, the gains of this all-important facility is quite enormous as it is not only welcomed by the women, but children also as well as the government.
The woman though may appear to be the major beneficiary, perhaps for the sole reason that it encourages exclusive breast-feeding because of its baby-friendly posture. The woman is relaxed while breast feeding because of the privacy she enjoys in the crèche. The baby also bids farewell to exhaustion due largely to long time crying for want of breast milk from a mother who had gone to work and is probably cut up in a traffic jam.
Obviously, it is “farewell” to anxiety that literally consumes the woman who is lost in thought and contemplations of what the state of her baby would look like because of a long period of separation resulting in unnecessary enlargement of the breast to her discomfort.
Bonding no doubt, is reignited. Call it another victory for the child, the workplace crèche does not only provide a conducive atmosphere for bonding between mothers and their babies, it also provides a resort for early and sound child development and education.
To the government of Rivers State, it is congratulations for a recovery of a workforce whose total devotion it had hitherto, not fully enjoyed perhaps because of divided attention.
With the crèche in place, it is expected that working nursing mothers would justify the money spent in paying their salaries by putting in adequate man power and quality time in the discharge of their duty.
Meanwhile, some mothers in the civil service have expressed great delight in the gesture and to them, it is a worthwhile venture. For Mrs Akujuru Grace, a nurse, “the gesture is purely for me. I had my baby when I was not yet due annual or maternity leave and I was compelled to resume work immediately after delivery or risk my employment. My first baby for that matter, I was leaving him at the mercy of my mother-in law from morning till evening everyday, a baby of less than one week. At least, with this development it will be easier, you take baby along and still do your work perfectly.”
“One thing I cherish in this crèche so much is the inclusion of early education which means I am not only taking my baby along to work, I am also enrolling him in a school,” Mrs Wodi Caroline said.”
Against the backdrop of building structures that are never utilized for an eventual realization of purpose, the honourable commissioner for Women Affairs Mrs Joeba West appealed to mothers to avail themselves the privilege made available by this provision, so as to actualize the reason behind its establishment .
She also reaffirms her resolve to ensure a maintenance culture and avoidance of early decay of the structures as is sometimes the case with public establishments. She maintains that while it is the part of the government to provide infrastructural facilities, it remains the duty of the public to patronize same in utmost good faith. She remarked that the services are free except with token registration meanwhile more space has been acquired for possible expansion so as to accommodate more children.
It will be recalled that the workplace crèche donated by the Ministry of Women Affairs is the second state government’s crèche after the one donated by the Ministry of Commerce and industry.
Sylvia ThankGod-Amadi
Women
Echoes Of IWD : Need To Invest In Women
As this year’s Internatinal Women’s Day (IWD) has come and gone, there are calls from different quarters on the need to invest in women so that we can achieve accelerated growth.
It was, indeed, a thing of joy when Rivers Women Unite For Sim, took delivery of large quantities of sanitary towels and some bags of rice provided them for this year’s celebration.
Many young women expressed joy that they got such gesture since some of them have financial problems getting sanitary towels whenever they are on.
Some secondary school students were also lucky to have a share of the benefits. They also got some sanitary towels.
The Rivers State Commissioner for Women Affairs organised a platform to celebrate and honour the women for the remarkable jobs they perform in their homes and society.
Addressing women on the occasion, the Hon. Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr. Roseline Apawari Uranta, noted that women from time immemorial have been great pillars in achieving remarkable heights and stressed that IWD across the globe is pivotal all women for the roles they play in bringing, nurturing and sustaining life.
Dr. Uranta said that IWD, which started in 1911 and celebrated annually on March 8, is a global day that provides women a platform to address economic inclusion, participation in political and public life.
She said the day was set aside to look into lack of access to education for the girl-child, gender-based violence, child marriage, child trafficking, harmful cultural practices as well as other challenges facing women around the globe.
The Hon. Commissioner, who described March 8 as a day to celebrate the socio-economic, cultural and political achievements of women, emphasised that it is a day that offers women the opportunity to reflect on progressive achievements.
Noting that it is an opportunity to call for change, she stressed that it is also an opportunity to celebrate acts of courage and every achievement made by ordinary women who did extraordinary things and are remembered in history.
She noted that the IWD2024 theme:”Invest In Women, Accelerate Progress”, is timely and apt because according to her, to achieve gender equality, we must ensure that the rights, responsibilities and opportunities of women do not elude them.
Her words: ” We must see investing in women as a human right issue and consider investing in women as a social tool to eradicate poverty since women are helpmeet in the homes while a handful are breadwinners in their respective families”.
The commissioner urged women to uphold the deliberate act of investing in themselves, be it furthering formal education, developing a new skill as well as learning a trade.
“Shun idleness, always find something positive and productive to do, regardless of your age, social status and financial capabilities”, she said.
In a paper presentation, Dr. Dabota God’swill Jumbo, reiterated that investing in women would attract good and positive dividends to herself and the society at large and noted that it is essential in addressing poverty, hunger and climate change.
The guest speaker said women need more opportunities in elective and appointive positions, hence the need to encourage and support them in politics.
According to her, when you invest in women, they will be able to create safer environment devoid of gender-based violence.
In a goodwill message, the spokesperson, Rivers Women Unite For Sim, Mrs Charity Deemua appreciated the organisers for making it possible for women to gather and celebrate themselves.
She commended those who created a day like March 8 of every year to celebrate women and regretted that the girl-child was seen as a second-class person decades ago.
The former commissioner, Rivers State House of Assembly Commission, described those who taught it wise for women to celebrate as conquerors, tough and strong.
International Association of World Peace Advocates, a world-class organisation with the United Nations, honoured different categories of women.
In Cross River State, 150 women were empowered with about N15m to boost their small and medium scale businesses.
According to stakeholders, the women empowerment is vital in addressing social, economic and political challenges and will make them self-reliant.
An NGO, Association of Professional Women Engineering Technologists (APWET), said it’s aim is to promote professional excellence among engineering personnel, advocating for women and girl-child education.
With what we saw in terms of response to women’s call on issues affecting them from relevant authorities, we are optimistic that the women will do better whenever they are empowered.
If we must kick out cervical, breast and other forms of cancer in women, underage marriage, prostitution, we must invest in women.
There were goodwill messages from National Council for Women Societies (NCWS), International Federation of Female Lawyers (FIDA), Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN), Nigeria Copyright Commission (NCC, Nigeria Association of Female Journalists (NAWOJ), among others.
By: Eunice Choko-Kayode
News
Women Empowerment, Key Priority Of Fubara’s Govt -Deputy Gov
The Rivers State Government has said that empowerment of women is one of its key priorities.
The Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, stated this during the 2024 International Women’s Day celebration, at the Women Development and Skills Acquisition Centre, Ministry of Women Affairs, Port Harcourt, at the weekend.
Odu described International Women’s Day as a catalyst used to push for women empowerment and assured that their welfare would be boosted by the government.
The deputy governor assured the women them that the state government would live up to its campaign promise by investing in women and advised them to utilise their starter parks whenever they are empowered.
In a keynote address, the Hon. Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr. Roseline Apawari Uranta, noted that women from time immemorial have been great pillars in achieving remarkable heights and stressed that IWD across the globe is of pivotal essence to celebrate all women for the roles they play in bringing, nurturing and sustaining life.
Uranta said that IWD, which started in 1911 and celebrated annually on March 8, is a global day that provides women a platform to address economic inclusion, limited participation in political and public life.
She described it as a day set aside to look into lack of access to education for the girl-child, gender-based violence, child marriage, child trafficking, harmful cultural practices as well as other challenges facing women in the continent and beyond.
The commissioner, who described March 8 as a day to celebrate the socio-economic, cultural and political achievements of women, emphasised that it is a day that offers women the opportunity to reflect on progressive achievements.
Nothing that it is an opportunity to call for change, she stressed that the Day is also an opportunity to celebrate acts of courage and every achievement made by ordinary women who did extraordinary things and are remembered in history.
She described this year’s IWD theme:”Invest In Women, Accelerate Progress”, as timely and apt because according to her, to achieve gender equality, we must ensure that the rights, responsibilities and opportunities of women do not elude them.
She said, “We must see investing in women as a human right issue and consider investing in women as a social tool to eradicate poverty since women are help-mates in the homes while a handful are breadwinners in their respective families”.
Uranta urged women to uphold the deliberate act of investing in themselves both in formal education, developing a new skill as well as learning a trade.
“Shun idleness, always find something positive and productive to do, regardless of your age, social status and financial capabilities”, she advised.
In a paper presentation, the guest speaker, Dr. Dabota Godswill Jumbo, reiterated that investing in women would attract good and positive dividends to herself and the society at large and noted that it is essential in addressing poverty, hunger and climate change.
She said women need more opportunities in elective and appointive positions, hence the need to encourage and support them in politics.
According to her, when you invest in women, they will be able to create safer environment where women will dwell devoid of gender-based violence.
In a goodwill message, the spokesperson, Rivers Women Unite For Sim, Mrs Charity Deemua, appreciated the organisers for making it possible for women to gather and celebrate themselves.
She commended those who created IWD to celebrate women and regretted that the girl-child was seen as a second-class person decades ago.
The former commissioner, Rivers State House of Assembly Commission, described those who taught it wise for women to celebrate as conquerors, tough and strong.
There were goodwill messages from National Council for Women Societies (NCWS), International Federation of Female Lawyers (FIDA), Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN), Nigeria Copyright Commission (NCC, Nigeria Association of Female Journalists (NAWOJ), among others.
Eunice Choko-Kayode
Women
IWD : Perusing The Importance And Contributions Of Women
All over the globe, women generally are celebrated in the month of March. The celebration comes once in a year to mark the tremendous tasks women perform.
With this year’s theme, ‘Count Her In, Invest In Women, Accelerate Progress’, let it be an opportunity for leaders and stakeholders to peruse the importance of investing in the female gender and to empower them.
Scholarship should be granted female students instead of forcing them into underage marriage.
The roles they play in their various countries, states, local government areas, communities; \societies, religious organisations and families can never be over-emphasised.
In business organisations, women have proved that they can form greater part in number in leadership.
In politics, they are not left out as they form not less than 35 percent of affirmative action. You can find quite majority of women in the parliament, Senate and the House of Representatives}.
In the Judiciary, the female Judges and Justices, which may be the highest rank are doing well also.
Women have become Presidents and Vice Presidents in their countries.
In many nations of the world, women are governors and deputy governors even in State House of Assembly, they are doing well.
Women form part of local government council administration. They are chairmen and vice chairmen of some local government councils.
In the academia, women have risen to be Vice Chancellors, Deputy Vice Chancellors, Registrars, Bursars and other principal officers of universities worldwide.
In their local communities, they form part of the grassroots who engage in agriculture and sole proprietorship. Their roles in food chain are second to none.
It is the women who give birth to children who in future grow to adulthood.
They nurture and nurse their younger ones to grow into maturity from breastfeeding stage.
When it comes to domestic affairs, they utilise all available resources maximally, ensuring that fund is allocated to every item at home. Where there is a housekeep or nanny, the mother plays a supervisory role’ other wise, things may not go well.
With all the roles women play in our societies, how well have they been treated?. In politics, they still have low turnout in participation. Their partners sometimes do not give them that opportunity to participate fully in politics. When women are at the helms of affairs, things may get better.
In the area of healthcare, women need free medicare from antenatal stage to delivery because of their roles in the families. This needs not be negotiated. If this is provided them, the rate of maternal and infant mortality will be less.
Women need soft loans not just from government at all levels, but from spirited individuals and Non- Governmental Organisations, NGO, to boost their petty trading. Some of them have lost their spouse and find it difficult to cope.
We need more women in the schools at every levels, especially at the tertiary leve where we have the teenagers and adolescent girls. These groups of people need attention. Female lecturers will provide them with the right guidance and counselling in this 21st century. In this computer age, where they are exposed to many things, their folk will play better roles in their lives.
As women mark the International Women’s Day, today, it is important to honour, cherish and appreciate their contributions to the family and society. It is important that we reflect on those things that affect them negatively, as today is being set aside to honour them.
As Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital hosts one of the biggest associations in the world, the International Association of World Peace Advocates, a world class organisation with the United Nations, stakeholders should emphasise more on the place of women in national development and world peace.
The United Nations through the IWD 2024 should raise more awareness on the importance of women and their contributions towards world peace.
Eunice Choko-Kayode
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