Blessing Iruoma
A feminists group under the aegis of Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre, has called on the government at all levels to stop all forms of gender disparity, saying it is not healthy for the societal advancement.
The group 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, yesterday.
It was observed that participants were drawn from Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, and Rivers, with seasoned facilitators from Lagos and Abuja.
Prof Roibito Ekpiten-Ekanem of the University of Cross Rivers, made the keynote presentation on “Overview of the Beijing Conference”. During the presentation, she 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 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.
“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.
The patriarchal political system has been responsible for the slow progress in the implementation of the Beijing Declaration. The non-adoption of Affirmative Action by the National Assembly has widened the gap in women’s quest for participation in politics”.
Meanwhile, in the communique, the group observed that there is a lack of adequate documentation of women’s experiences and a database to track the achievements of women.
They observed that South-South region has recorded some level of achievements, “though, women and girls still face constant discrimination, despite the different interventions tailored to bring about transformative change in society”.
They therefore, noted the need for NGOs to increase awareness among male folk for more support for gender equality, stressing that “There should be strategic and continuous mobilisation and, sensitisation of communities on women’s empowerment.
“Traditional leaders should be conscientise the minds of the traditional institution, men, and the larger society of societal norms and customs that are not strengthening women’s emancipation.
“Men who believe in the ideologies of gender parity should engage and senitise other men to be of like mind in promoting women’s inclusion. Women should begin to support other women to succeed in leadership positions and empower them to build their capacity to remain relevant”.
The communique added that “Government should create opportunities for women to participate in environmental decision-making.
The government should ensure proper policy enforcement and infrastructural development, include women’s issues and concerns in policy and frameworks, and show commitment to the implementation of the Beijing platform for action declaration”.
