March 8, 2018

Dr Lola Dare, a gender parity advocate and Global President of I Will,  an NGO, has called for celebration of women who fought for emancipation of Nigerian women.

Dare made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan on Thursday while commenting on the 2018 International Women’s Day celebration.

“Nigeria’s history is full of women who have distinguished themselves beyond the kitchen and other duties.

“Our work on women is named after Queen Kambasa of the Bonny Kingdom. She was a female king well renowned for her position on gender equality.

“There are many others including Queen Amina, Mrs Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Prof. Jadesola Akande, to mention a few.

“I believe these great women played the pivotal role upon which the emancipation of women in Nigeria was built; they should be celebrated,” she said.

Dare urged Nigerian women to celebrate the modest progress achieved in promoting women inclusion in politics and governance.

“They should have a collective voice that joins the global call to press for progress for women and girls.”

Dare said that African women had yet to be fully librated but noted that they had come a long way through various interventions aimed at empowering them.

She told NAN that there was the need to create leadership opportunities for women across all sectors through education and enterprise.

According to her, this will bridge the unacceptable gender gap in economic opportunities.

Dare said,” Human trafficking and sexual exploitation as well as forced migration remain an unacceptably high scourge that disproportionately affects women and girls.”

She urged governments to include information technology in curriculum in schools for women and girls to facilitate development of early warning and alert systems that could protect women and girls against abuse.

According to Dare, no women and girls including those in the rural areas and poor urban settings should be left behind in the 2018 Women’s Day celebration with the theme: “Press for Progress”.

The advocate called on all stakeholders to deepen investments and actions toward eliminating gender-based violence.

“When women are allowed equal representation and participation in the political process according to international conventions, the gender gap will be bridged.

“Our programmes in I Will Give firmly support women and girls and identify with the vision for gender equality expressed in the Sustainable Development Goals.

“We join other women all over the world and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, in the global call for press for progress.

“Stakeholders globally are calling for lasting change and zero tolerance for sexual assault, harassment and discrimination of all kinds,” she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the United Nations set aside March 8 annually  to  seek  gender equality, women empowerment and an end to violence against women.