Women
NGO Establishes Girls Centre In PH
Sometimes, one wonders if the age-long slogan “train a man, you train a personality but train a woman, you train a nation” is true as well as being accepted.
To many families, the girl child is a second class citizen whose efforts should be channelled towards the welfare, education and comfort of her male siblings in the family. Worst still, her opinion does not matter when the decisions have been taken by her parents.
Some girls are subjected to preasures of making money for their brothers education that push them into various anti-social vices, ranging from drugs, unwanted pregnancies, prostitution and armed robbery some are so frustrated in their homes that they took to the streets to relieve themselves from such preasures, while peer group pressures finish the rest of the story.
These situations informed the passion of lady Doris Onyeneke, an Estate Surveyor, to seek a way of helping a frustrated girl child on the street. To Lady Onyeneke, all hope is not lot for the girl, though the society has written her off for taking to crime and the related urgly behaviours that de-ropes a girl / woman.
Lady Onyeneke’s dreams and target are how to ensure that something better comes out of that girl who has become homeless and useless by the ratings and judgement of the family, friends and society at large.
She said that her passion led her to float a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) called “Mother of Good Counsel Initiative (MOGCI) which enables her to reach out frustrated girls and counsel them on the need for change.
“My family, friends and society have concluded on me that nothing good will ever come out of me, so there is no need to worry my life, anything I see becomes my portion”, she said is always the response of the girls when contacted.
To her, tears always mark the end of discussion but to God be the glory according to her, that efforts put in to counsel these girls restore hope. Some girls have been taken back to schools and some have been enrolled in skill acquisition for better future according to her.
“The society needs these girls who are mothers of tomorrow. We build capacity, inspire them to build confidence in themselves as well as raise their self esteem,” she said.
To Lady Onyeneke, the girl child is very creative if given a sense of belonging in the home but the traditional belief system in Africa and Nigeria in particular has become a problem which the NGO is struggling to solve, as “our culture believes that women are not supposed to be heard. My only problem is finance”.
She said the challenges are enormous which resulted to the need to establish a “Matter Day Girls Centre”, that will serve as homes for those street girls who are homeless.
Onyeneke’s views on the centre is to bring about total repackaging of the girls mentality, physically and an honourable future. She said, “I have encountered cases that would have been better solved with the girls accommodated for concentrated lessons. I know the centre if achieved will produce girls of sound minds.”
At the formal inauguration of MOGCI NGO in Port Harcourt which started six years ago, Dr Jennifer Spiff, co-ordinator of Women Initiative for Transparency and Social Justice (WITSOJ) referred to the centre as a welcomed development that will help the less privileged girls.
“This is a laudable porgramme that will stop the wasting of girls on the streets of our state. The organisation may not do it all but will definitely contribute its quota to the society, she said.
“When the street girls are brought under one umbrella, their capacity are built for better life. I see what the initiative is doing as a boost to what government is doing to achieve a better future.
“The girl child has a role to play in bringing peace to the society because most of the street girls are friends to the rough boys that disturb the environment. How I wish other NGOs will borrow a leaf from them and plan towards helping the girls and even the boys”.
To Mrs Susan Bassey Duke, the leader of Gender Development Action, the path chosen by the NGO remains a challenging one and can succeed if the leaders persevere not minding the difficulties they will meet on the way.
Duke said the society knows the value of women and understand that if given equal opportunity, the girls would always do better than their male counterparts. It is very true”, if you want something said, ask a man but if you want something done, ask a woman”.
The women leaders who has worked in the Niger Delta for 10 years now, said she would partner with the noble initiative geared towards restoration and peace in our environment.
A counselor in the NGO, Mrs Doris Chinwo said the girls are always tempted by their desire to make money and be like others, which most times throw them into trouble.
This quest she aid exposes them to danger so they need guidance to enable them come back to their senses. “A counselor would also make the girls understand the consequences of what they are doing to themselves.
“The society is not too friendly that is why you will see a father or grandfather using money to spoil teenagers in the name of suger daddes. What about the men that rape even those that try to keep their virginity and those who are even children.
“Mother of Good Counsel build self worth in the victims of circumstance and the girls centre would go a long way in helping the organization to achieve the set goals and objective, though the project needs a lot of fund to execute”.
If the truth should be told, more need to be done by individuals communities politicians, churches and the government at large, to give the girl child a sense of belonging which will inturn relieve them of the many pressures experienced at home and society caused by the customs and traditions of Nigeria which has not favoured the girl child compared to her male counterpart.
Lilian Peters
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
-
Oil & Energy4 days ago
NNPCL Lists Transparency, Accountability, Others, As Transformation Drivers
-
News4 days ago
Trafficking: Beware Of Fake $900 Jobs, NAPTIP Warns Nigerians
-
Focus4 days ago
Reminisces On Tributes To Mrs Adeline Ndalu Jaja
-
Nation2 days ago
Ododo Applauds Security Agencies Over Rescue Of 43 Bus Passengers
-
Education4 days ago
Bill To Increase UBEC Funding Passes Second Reading
-
News4 days ago
Food Prices Rise In February 2024 -NBS
-
Niger Delta2 days ago
Bayelsa Community Set For Youth Election, Inaugurates Eleco
-
News2 days ago
Deputy Gov Urges Rivers Youths To Read Impactful Books