As an organization that promotes Women Rights, Citizens Centre for Integrated Development and Social Rights – CCIDESOR uses today’s celebration of International Women’s day to express our support for total emancipation of Nigeria women – the mothers of the nation, the mothers of democracy and the pillar of hope of a better nation and world.
CCIDESOR also commends those who have worked and continued to work to liberate women from the shackles of deprivation, slavery, exploitation and impoverishment. CCIDESOR, having watched the burden that women painfully bear, intentionally and unintentionally, today’s celebration of women all over the world becomes emotional to us. The most emotional of it all is seeing how women who have been generationally exploited by their children through state policy, culture and religion still show care and love as mothers show to their children. Even when lawmakers reject Gender Equity bill and giving women 35% space to participate in politics, Women are still the beacon of care and hope. Nigeria is a huge debtor to Nigeria women whose level of credit will take centuries to repay if the space is not intentionally opened for women to get into government, politics, business and social sector.
CCIDESOR also uses today to call out Nigeria government at Federal, State and Local tiers, to intentionally exterminate all forms of open and hidden exploitation, gender discrimination, suppression, economic and political impoverishment which Nigeria women have endured to the detriment of the nation. Certainly, gender equity today will bear a sustainable nation tomorrow. Most nations that have given women their rightful place in government, politics, business and security have left other nations that refuse to do same behind and Nigeria wobbles with these huge debts to women. When a woman is made vulnerable, the household is vulnerable. When a woman is impoverished, the family and by extension the nation is impoverished. When the woman is poor, the family is poor. Since the family is the mirror of any nation, when a woman is down, the nation is down as we it is today. Therefore, it is important to use today to underscores the fact that Nigeria’s development challenges are self-inflicted because of the pains the nation has inflicted on women who by all definitions are natural leaders, natural stabilizers and natural providers. This can be attested to by their contribution since the return of democracy in Nigeria.
CCIDESOR expresses extreme dismay that Nigeria who had the opportunity to appease women with the passage of Gender Equity bill and giving women 35% space to participate in politics painfully lost that opportunity as they continue to behave like a stubborn debtor who keeps postponing the repayment day which will certainly come either willingly or by force. This is because a debt is a debt. CCIDESOR therefore encourages Nigeria to use the opportunity of the upcoming 2023 general election to repay part of the debt owed to women by providing enabling laws and policies that facilitates women to take their chance. CCIDESOR reiterates that Women’s advancement is national advancement which must be supported by well-meaning organizations and citizens to break the bias. Nigeria Women must be integrated into development efforts. It is the right direction to sustainable development.
Signed
Nnenna Onyenoha
Executive Director
Citizens Center for Integrated Development and Social Rights
No 30 Mbari Street, Ikenegbu Layout, Owerri,
Imo state, Nigeria
Box 7338, Aladinma,
M.phone: 234 (0) 8061646664
