NationalUpdate Woman
CAFOD, CWSI sensitize young girls on the use of the internet to bridge the gap in gender inequality
***Blame INEC’s failure to utilize BVAS for ballot box snatching, violence
The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) in partnership with Center For Women Studies and Intervention (CWSI) have sensitized some young girls to have more interest in governance through the use of internet logic to bridge the gap in gender inequality. The Executive Director of CWSI, Rev Sister Ngozi Frances Uti while speaking in Abuja at a Sympozium on Friday to mark the International Women’s Day celebration, lamented that only three Nigerian women made it to the 10th senate out of 109 seats.
She said if they are going to take any vote on issues that concern the Nigerian women, there is no way their voices would be heard
“Like we were discussing, we have just 3 women who made it to the senate out of 109. Take a look at it, if you are going to take a vote on issues that concern women 109 minus 3, it will give you 106, so if they are going to take a vote there is no way the women voices would be heard, but if you have like 40 to start with at least they will make an impact.”
“How many men will really encourage their wives to go into politics? Think of the odd hour that they fix for their meetings. No man will agree.”It is only men who are enlightened, who trust their wives. If he does not trust your wife, with the type of stigma and stereotyping that we already have, he will believe that his wife is going to sleep with another man, even if the man is not thinking that way, the inlaws and the extended family, they will say ‘she is the one that is ruling his husband, you know ‘wetin she go don give am chop’?” That is the kind of situation, but we want to move away from that, we want more women who are educated and qualified to occupy such positions, and then we wouldn’t have issues, but here we are instead of having more, they reduce further.” That is because the men are not sleeping and they are not sitting down, they really want to make it an all men thing, but we are trying, if you look at it, the men who are there, like the Governors who finish their tenure they want to go to the senate.”The Governors are now losing maybe because they did not do well in their States, and people are tired and don’t forget there is a lot of conscientization this time.”The 2023 election is not like before. People are beginning to know their rights. They are beginning to know that the quarter bag of Rice or half bag will not carry you till the next four years.”People are beginning to understand that the N10,000 you collect today will not last you one month..”People want somebody who will create job for them, people who will speak for them, not greedy lawmakers who will go there to line their pocket, people go there to line their pockets for their children to the Tenth generation.”Uti querried the non deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) which led to the snatching of ballot boxes and electoral violence that characteried the recently held Presidential and National Assembly election.She insisted that ballot box snatching which scares women from participation happened because the instrument that was meant to be used, the BVAS was not put to use accordingly.”I stayed back in my polling unit before I left them at about 10pm because we had finished counting, we had snapped the results, party agents had all signed, but we were waiting for them to upload.”If they had uploaded the way we were told, then there would be no need even if they carried the ballot box and go. That is their own now. What will they do with it.”It was because they did not keep to their promise. We are hoping that the next election, more people will come out.Look at the number, the turnout, how many registered voters we have it is nothing. It is not even half of the 90m registered voters and only 20m came out to vote, something is wrong, and then we know all that happened.
Governance and Peace Building Lead, Catholic Agency for Overseas Developmwnt (CAFOD) Mrs Omolola Mamedu said CAFOD is supporting its partner CWSI to celebrate International Women’s Day.”For us we believe that this is a good opportunity to create some awareness especially for the young girls to begin to have more interest in governance and for this year’s theme that is DigitALL also will arouse their interest on the use of the internet logic as a way to bridge the gap in gender equality.”We supported our Partner at CWSI to celebrate the 2023 international women’s Day to provide information, to create awareness especially our project beneficiaries for them to understand their rights and understand the role that they can also play to bridge the gap with regards to gender equality to embrace equity generally.”Women are marginalised because of a long-term cultural and societal norms. Our society and country are being dominated by men like a patriarchal kind of dominated society.”The women are marginalised due to culture, due to religion, societal labeling, and pressure. We see a society where the women have now taken the backstage so we want to begin to sesitize and change these narratives because we believe that both the male and the female genders are equal, they are also knowledgeable therefore should be able to support and provide their own contribution to the advancement and growth of the society.”So you see a lot of sensitization, advocacies going now, even from different civil society groups and different pressure groups.”You remember the 35% affirmative action where civil society groups did a protest for days at the National Assembly for the lawmakers to affirm the 35% for women without resistance and challenge based on the long-term existing norms.”It is not just a one day thing but gradually people are getting more aware and knowledgeable and we believe that there is no better way to start this than by starting to educate these young ones between the age of 18 to 25 as they begin to grow and take up roles and take up ideologies in the country so they will know how to demand their rights as citizens
“We need to be committed to this course, you need to study, you need to make research, you need to be interested, you can’t get the change by not doing anything so you need to show interest, you need to contribute, you need to be knowledgeable, understand your right take good steps and actions.
“We are not asking you to be violent or create a society of rancor. Know your right as a girl and exercise your right. It starts from the place of knowing, so when they know their rights, they begin to take steps and take action to exercise their rights. No more folding your arms and sitting down, developed yourself. “This sympozium will lead to the training of some young women on digital skills that will also them to become great entrepreneurs in the digital world
Gender Officer Center for Women Studies and Intervention (CWSI) Ewomatome Precious said to celebrate the International Women’s Day they recorgnised the need to bring the girls together to understand what really is meant by digital innovation, “giving them the ideas and letting them see the opportunities that are there in digital age to work together, collaborate and promote equality irrespective of their gender.
“So we have decided to take this creative approach, to play a little shot and expose on what is the International Women’s Day, the benefit of working in the digital space and the dangers that are there for women and girls that use the digital space in terms of Social media and the things they use for their work
“We are hoping that this can expose them to see that there are opportunities online that they can use to advance their career to get jobs, to empower themselves and for them to see that this can really help in improving their freedom as young females living in Nigeria. “We are hoping that after this a lot of them will be interested in the digital skills training that we have planned and then the others will also see that there is an opportunity to research more, to find out more and to go into ICT related jobs because that is the only way we think, we can truly bridge the gap for women who are trying to access technology
“As young girls and women living in Nigeria you will understand that there are some traditional roles working in the agricultural sector, hair dressing and working in fashion and design, but you can also use digital innovations; that is technology to enhance what you already know, to spread it on a global scale and to make more money for yourself thereby improving your freedom and autonomy.”
Promotion of menstrual hygiene among women and girls in Kogi state is a priority, Kogi State First Lady, Hajia Sefinat Usman Ododo has restated
In her message to commemorate this year’s World Menstrual Hygiene Day, Mrs Ododo reiterated the importance of creating awareness among women and girls to promote menstrual hygiene and dignity.
The Kogi State First Lady decried the poor menstrual health and hygiene challenge affecting millions of women and girls on account of exclusion stigmatization, and inferiority complex because of their periods.
She promised to ensure provision of access to quality menstrual products, period education and period-friendly toilets.
Hajia Ododo promised to join other stakeholders around the world to raise awareness and promote good menstrual health and hygiene beyond the commemoration of the World Menstrual Hygiene Day.
The First Lady also promised access to affordable menstrual products, elimination of period stigma and shame, basic menstruation information for all, and improve access to period-friendly facilities in public spaces.
The First Lady noted that while awareness has grown in the past 10 years, a lot more needs to be done in this regard.
“Today, more and more of us are working towards a #PeriodFriendlyWorld beyond 28 May.
Menstrual Hygiene Day is a global problem affecting over 500 million women and girls worldwide. Despite progress, many still face challenges in managing their periods safely and with dignity.
The day’s theme, “Together for a #PeriodFriendlyWorld,” emphasizes the importance of collaboration and inclusivity. We invite everyone to participate in events, share their stories, and advocate for menstrual health and hygiene,” she stated.
Hajiya Sefinat Ododo called on well meaning individuals, organizations, and government at all levels to join forces in creating a world where no one is held back because of lack of access to menstrual health and hygiene.
COMMUNIQUE OF WOMEN AND GIRL’S WHO ARE CAMEROONIAN REFUGEES IN NIGERIA SETTLED IN UTANGA OF OBANLIKU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, ADAGOM 1, ADAGOM 2 AND UKENDE IN OGOJA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF CROSS RIVER STATE AND IKYOGEN IN KWANDE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF BENUE STATE; BEING AN OUTCOME OF A ONE-DAY SUMMIT ORGANIZED BY CENTRE FOR WOMEN STUDIES AND INTERVENTION (CWSI) SUPPORTED BY AFRICAN WOMEN DEVELOPMENT FUND (AWDF), HELD ON 23RD, 24th, 25th 26th FEBRUARY RESPECTFULLY.
PREAMBLE: We, the Women and Girls who are Cameroonian refugees residing in Obanliku Local Government, and in Adagom 1, Adagom 3 and Ukende in Ogoja Local Government Area of Cross River State and in Ikyogen of Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State and which participated in the above captioned summit hereby jointly express our collective standpoint on the current state of sojourning in Nigeria as follows;
APPRECIATION:
We wish to collectively thank the Nigerian Government for being their African brothers’ and sisters’ keepers by providing a safe haven for the thousands of Cameroonians refugees who sought refuge in Nigeria as a result of the civil conflict in southern Cameroon. The Nigerian Federal Government and the State Governments of Cross River and Benue have in the spirit of Pan-Africa demonstrated exemplary care of Africa motherhood through the National Commission for Migrants Refugees and Internally displaced Persons (NCFMRI) and the State’s Emergency Management Agency (SEMA)which has very well ensured our protection and peaceful habitation in the various communities we are residing. Secondly, we wish to profoundly express our very deeply heart felt gratitude to the United Nations which through its partnership with the Government of Nigeria and the services of its agency, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) have provided us with necessaries; accommodation, water, health care services and basic education funding for our children. We also wish to immensely thank the Host Communities where we are settled for peaceful co-existence, brotherly and sisterly love and various forms of assistances they have rendered Cameroonian sojourners.
On specific and well deserving recognition; we are grateful to African Women Development Fund(AWDF) for their sterling contribution to our lives through the Inform Parents and Children Together on Sexual and Gender Based Violence (INPACT ON-SGBV) Project which they funded Centre for women Studies and Intervention(CWSI) to implement and which is currently on-going. The project which has women and girls as beneficiaries is positively imparting and impacting the lives of refugees particularly through the formation of a Girl Child Movement (GCM) which is followed up by 6 months mentoring course for the empowerment of young women and girls who are vulnerable to SGBV. The project since inception has used its unique strategies to educate and conscientized women, girl, boys and men to adopt an improved behavioral practice which not only respects the dignity of persons but enhance human development and freedom from violence.
Furthermore, their welfare packs, psycho-social counselling and medical bill assistance for refugees suffering ill health has been tremendously helpful and beneficial.
We also wish to recognize the enormous contribution of other Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) whose humanitarian services and development work has brought relief to our travails. They have been a great source of inspiration, fortitude, resilience and hope away from home. The organizations which we hereby respectfully and gratefully acknowledged are as follows; Caritas Nigeria, Save The Children, Rema Care, Cuso International and Red Cross.
STATE OF AFFAIRS AND PRESENT CONCERN:
Even though we appreciate all the support given to refugees in Nigeria, particularly women and girls we still wish to solicit for more support to sustain the good works of these organizations and to reach outto many women and girls who are still in need of assistance. Our dire needs and present concern is as follows:
HUMANITARIAN SUPPORT; we wish to request for more humanitarian support as aid for refugees has dwindled in current times. Many women and girls live in austere lack and want of basic necessaries, especially, toiletries, mosquito nets, menstrual kits, mattresses, mats and blankets. We appeal to individuals, philanthropists and organizations whether local, multinational and telecommunication companies to give their support to this need.
HUNGER; this is the biggest problem we are contending with. To have a sustainable solution, apart from food donations, we appeal to humanitarian organizations and companies willing to execute corporate social responsibility to assist us with life Skill capacity building programmes that can be utilized for entrepreneurship and self-reliance as a dependable pathway to overcoming hunger. We hereby appeal to the members of the host communities to extend the privileges of allocating portions of farmland to refugees in need of land for agriculture.
EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT; Our collective gratitude goes to the UNCHR and Save the Children for the free-education opportunity created for our children to go school. However, there are basic educational needs which many of our children lack. These are, school uniforms, text books, school bags and school shoes and dearth of Teachers etc. Furthermore, there is need for increased attention to be given to pupils who have graduated from primary school to access secondary school education. We shall be grateful to see that these needs are provided through any NGO or humanitarian agency.
PROVISION OF WATER AND RENOVATION OF TOILETS AND BATHROOMS; There is a general deterioration of toilet and water facility in the refugee settlements and host communities. This situation has made life uncomfortable for refugees and the host communities. The make-shift toilets provided in the settlement are now dilapidated. Also, the bore holes have become inadequate to serve the population in the settlements. Access to water is still a problem for some refugees. We hereby appeal to generous funding agencies/organization to kindly respond to and improve the water shortage situation in the settlements as well as renovation of toilets and bathrooms.
EMPLOYMENT OF MID-WIFE’ IN HEALTH-CARE CENTERS; The absence of mid-wife’ in the health care centers provided for refugees is a huge challenge for pregnant mothers. This has contributed to infant and maternal mortality of refugees. We shall be very grateful to see improvement in the health care service delivery to the refugees and we appeal to the appropriate authorities to come to our aid.
CONCLUSION; We once again thank CWSI, other national/International organizations, the state and the Nigerian government as a whole for adding value to our lives. We appeal to the government of Nigeria to continue the good works of protecting refugees by improving security in the refugee settlements.
As women, many of us have lost our husbands, children, parents and relatives in the Cameroon conflict. Though we are displaced and experiencing various challenges at the moment our indomitable spirit of the African women is not subdued. We are determined and focused as women and girls’ group to live above our challenges and create a new world of freedom for the girl child. We have a living hope of perseverance and optimism that the long dark night will be over and the dawn of a new era will emerge. The day is coming when we and our children will return back to live in a new Cameroon where every citizen will live in human dignity, justice and peace.
Signed by: Representatives of concerned female Cameroonian refugees
NYENTY OBI STEPHANIE, VICTORINE NDIFON ATOP, ANYOR PEACE ODEY MARCELINE
NationalUpdate Woman
Clark tells Tinubu to set up special Military Task Force to rescue Chibok Girls, others
***Blames him for failure to rescue tgen after 10years
Elderstatesman and Leader of the Ijaw Nation, Chief Edwin Clark, has urged President Bola Tinubu to set up a special military task force to rescur the remaining Chibok School Girls and others still in the captivity of the Boko Haram insurgents.
The Ijaw national leader gave the indication at a news conference in Abuja to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Chibok Girls abduction by the dreaded Islamic sect.
He said the special military task force should be coordinated by a courageous military
While expressing displeasure over the failure of past administrations to rescue the girls, Clark urged President Bola Tinubu to leave no stone unturned to secure the release of the girls.
“About 90 of them are still missing after 10 years. This should be a source of worry and concern to any government of a nation.
“Tinubu should appoint a special taskforce with brave soldiers, competent, transparent and not nepotic.
According to the elderstatesman “It appears to some of us that the President Tinubu’s Government is not serious in the effort to rescue the remaining Chibok girls.
“About ninety (90) of them are still missing after ten (10) years. This should be a source of worry and concern to any government of a serious nation.
“I recall that in October, 2020, when a United States of America (USA) citizen, Mr. Philip Walton was held hostage between Niger Republic and Nigeria, the government of the United States deployed one of its machineries, the Naval Special Warfare group, popularly known as SEAL Team Six, who rescued Mr. Walton in Nigeria.
” The then President of the US, Mr. Donald Trump, followed the matter to up to conclusion. When the Mr. Philip was rescued,
“President Trump was so excited that a citizen of his country held hostage had been rescued and described the action as “big win for our very elite U. S. Special Forces.” Also, speaking on the incident, the then US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, said “The United States is committed to the safe return of all U. S. citizens taken captive.
“We delivered on that commitment late last night in Nigeria, where some of our bravest and most skilled warriors rescued a U. S. citizen after a group of armed men took him hostage across the border in Niger”.
Clark wandered why the case of Nigeria is different.
According to him,In the case of the U. S., it was just one person, yet the government of the country went all out to ensure his rescue.
“In Nigeria, we are still talking about 90 girls still missing, ten years after.
Explaining further he said the Nigerian government bungled fresh negotiation to free Chibok girls
He said he led a high-level negotiations between the Nigerian government team and Boko Haram insurgents, to secure the release of 220 Chibok girls saying that it crumbled
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