By ARUE AVURA FLORENCE
Morgan Smart Development Foundation [MSDF] on Monday March 9, 2015 joined the rest of the world to celebrate the 2015 International Women’s Day set aside by the United Nation [UN] to draw attention to the plights of women around the world.
In her welcome address, Dr. Omawumi Evelyn Urhobo, president of MSDF said since 1975 the UN passed a resolution that recognizes March 9th of every year as a day dedicated to women to know how far they have gone in getting equality status with the men and also to showcase the advancements of women.
While advocating for gender space for women to excel in both political, social and economical erana, she used the opportunity to remind women that the challenges of gender main streaming is still enormous and there is need to be vigilant in protecting the main strides which women have gained.
Dr. Urhobo said she saw the celebration as another landmark achievement for her foundation that is dedicated to the economic empowerment of rural and urban poor women and youth in Nigeria, especially in Niger Delta region.
Dr. Urhobo said the day is to celebrate the hard working women of the Niger Delta who in spite of the harsh reality of their existence are still harking out a living to put food on the table for their children and family.
“This situation has become unbearable and unacceptable and something needs to be done,” Dr. Urhobo said, urging the government, civil society and private sectors to commit to gender equality and develop the untapped resources to enable women benefit from the wealth of their land.
Addressing the conspiracy of silence against the poor women of the region she urged the men of the region who are party to this consipay to have a change of mind that will alleviate their women and celebrate them because women are the jewels that put the home together.
Chairman of the occasion, Dr. (Mrs) Patience Ikomi, a Retired Delta Permanent Secretary and Chairman Delta State Pension Bureau lamented that women and girls make up half of the world’s population, yet still facing barriers to achieving equality and even to access their basic rights.
Dr. Ikomi said the key to transforming the lives of women is to remove the barriers by investing in girls, appreciating MSDF who have over the years stood at the fore front of development of women in the Niger Delta region.
Delivering a lecture titled “Make It Happen,” Dr. (Mrs.) Veronica Ogbaugu (JP), Proprietress of Chinkelly Schools, Effurun said the theme of the International Women Day is a wakeup call for the women to take the bull by the horn and make things happen.
Dr. Agbuagu added that Delta Women should stop engaging in bricklaying and concrete mixing at building sites, lamenting that the use low technology facilities with low yield results to hard life makes the women age faster than their age.
She said empowering women is the key to fighting the imbalance in the society, noting that it was only when women are well represented in the development of the society that they can make it happen.
Delving into politics, Dr. Ogbaugu assured the women that the Delta State All Progressives Congress Gubernatorial candidate, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, has promised to disburse through micro-finance and local financial institutes, 10 billion naira that will disburse to petty traders, women and youths to alleviate poverty.
She urged the women to be responsible in raising their children, saying sending the girl child to school will empower them to express them and compete with the male folks in politics.
Dr. Ogbuagu commended MSDF and the UN for celebrating women, saying that the power to make it happen, lies in the hands of God.
Some of the activities at the event included, exhibition, price giving, discussions, awards to two grassroots, economic empowerment such as starter packs for beed making, complete set of sewing machines etc, were also giving to the women
