WRITTEN BY LADY NDIDI MEZUE

International Women’s Day is a global day, celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. With the theme, “Balance for Better”, the day also calls for action to accelerate gender parity.

Balance for Better is not a women’s issue; it is a business issue. The issue is on for gender-balance in government and political participation as well as gender-balance in wealth creating opportunities, composition of decision making boardroom and in every sphere of human endeavour.

Gender balance is essential for economies and communities to thrive. It promotes all inclusive growth and accelerates developmental trajectories necessary for eliminating poverty.  Poverty is said to exist when people lack the means to satisfy their basic needs. People mostly affected by this dehumanizing lack are women and young girls.

According to the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, it is only by empowering women at all levels, enabling their voices to be heard and giving them control over their own lives that we will have a secured future.

It is on this background that the Anambra State Government, led by Chief Willie Obiano, in collaboration with Caring Family Enhancement Initiative, has trained and empowered more than four thousand, three hundred and sixty women and young girls in different skills to enable them become economically independent. Anambra Women have shown heightened interest in learning new skills as a result of CAFÉ’s magnanimity and commitment to assist the trainees at the end of their skill training period. 

Another area where women potentials have been greatly undermined is getting involved in decision making. We are living in patriarchal society, and women have to struggle to fit into the male dominant sphere and this applies, not only at government level, but in all institutions. Thus, empowering and creating an enabling platform for women is smart politics and it will deepen our democracy and tune down the relics of violence and division in our political system.

Thankfully, the case of low representation of women in decision-making process is however different in Anambra State. Governor Willie Obiano (Akpokuedike Global) has changed the narrative of 35% to 45% affirmative action. This is evident in the more than 45% of the working team of the Governor, made up of Commissioners, Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistant and Special Assistants being women. Few days ago, the gender-friendly Governor swore-in the First female Chief Judge in the State, Justice Ijem Onwuamaegbu.

The participation of women in government and politics is directly linked to the advancement of women and is a basic requirement in the journey towards gender equality and balancing for better. To ensure that the decisions that affect women’s lives are taken seriously, women should not be bystanders in their own development but should be  actively involved to ensure that the socio-economic patterns that marginalize women and keep them dependent are changed.

A society where women are not part of the decision-making process is an unjust and inefficient society. Women have acted in ways without which the smooth running of the society would have come in vain. They have nurtured and sustained life without making any bones about it, acting, on occasion, as a moderating force when temper threatens to derail a good cause. They have kept society on an even path by maintaining balance providing peaceful alternatives to extreme situations.

No related posts.