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From Kenneth Udeh, Abuja
As the world marks the year’s International Women’s Day Senators Uche Ekwunife and Stella Oduah have charged women in the country not to relent in their pursuit for greatness and socio-political and economic emancipation.
Joining their counterparts around the world to mark the 2024 edition, the 9th Senate Lawmakers congratulated women for their efforts towards achieving gender inclusivity , girl child protection, women empowerment, politics and governance.
Both former Lawmakers made the remarks in separate statements issued from their media offices on Friday.
Ekwunife who is currently the Director General, South East Governors Forum commended the what she described as the unwavering resilience of Nigerian women
She acknowledged the vital roles of women in the society;
“As a stalwart advocate for gender equality and women’s empowerment, I recognise and appreciate the invaluable contributions of women to the socio-economic and political fabric of Nigeria.
“I commend the courage and tenacity of Nigerian women who have continuously broken barriers and defied societal expectations to excel in various fields. Women play a pivotal role in driving positive change and fostering development across communities in the face of adversity.
Ekwunife reflected on the challenges faced by women particularly in gender equality. According to her, challenges still exist such as; gender-based discrimination, limited access to education and healthcare, and economic disparities.
However she noted that the importance of recognising and celebrating the strides made towards achieving gender parity while reaffirming the collective responsibility to address remaining barriers cannot be over emphasised.
Ekwunife reassured her commitment to champion gender equality:
“Let me reaffirm my commitment to championing policies and initiatives that promote women’s rights, economic empowerment, and access to opportunities. There is a need for concerted efforts to eliminate gender disparities and create an enabling environment where every Nigerian woman can thrive and fulfil her potential.
On her part Senator Stella Oduah called on the government and security agencies to step up their efforts in the protection of school children in the country, especially the girl child.
According to her though women have made remarkable progress more still needed to be done. She harped on Rape and Discrimination of women to rise above certain levels as major prevailing problems.
Her statement reads partly:
“I congratulate my dear women for their achievements so far. This year presents yet another opportunity for us as women to reflect on the progress made so far.
“This year’s Theme “#InspireInclusion is a clarion call for us as women to support one another. Till date women globally are still confronted with the same challenges of disparities in pay, limited access to education and healthcare, cultural limitations.
“Not much can be done to overcome these problems without the support of the Government and the women themselves, the “political will” to ensure that women are included and carried along and given the same opportunities as the male gender is really needed to overcome these issues.
