Thousands of women from the six States of the Niger Delta region and beyond recently converged in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital to demand for action on the Niger Delta environment.
The conference which was under the aegis of Niger Delta Women Day of Acton was organised by Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre with the theme: “Building Resilience for Climate Action.”
A communique made available to newsmen at the conference urged for gender and climatic action plan by the government.
The women also called on government to put in place an effective policies for the mitigation and adaptation of climate change.
They also urged the government to develop policies to sensitise the citizenry and encourage them to act in a way that will mitigate the environment.
The conference also called on civil society organizations (CSOs) to pressurize policy makers with the view to implementing existing environmental and climate change policies.
Also recommended was that women should write themselves back to relevance through good use of both the traditional and social media as well as continue to pass on knowledge and agitate for environmental justice until the expected change.
In her address at the conference, Executive Director of Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre, Miss Emem Okon, said the conference aims at mobilising the support of critical stakeholders in the region against environmental pollution, food insecurity, energy poverty and the negative impacts of fossil fuel on the people.”
Emem Okon said communities in the region have continued to suffer the negative effect of fossil fuel extraction by multinational corporations.
Miss Okon said the organization through her days of action programme has build the capacity of women leadership in the region.
“The Women’s Day of Action for Environmental Justice contributes to the building of an eco-feminist movement in the Niger Delta.
“It has contributed to strengthening of women leadership capacity and enhancing women organizing and mobilizing for environmental and climate justice” she said.
Also speaking, Dr. Chioma Worlu who spoke on women resilience for climate change identified patriarchy as one of the major contributors to the denial of women’s right in the region.
According to her, the practice has for over the centuries denied women’s right to land beyond as well as other social benefits.