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Women’s dialogue, Womanifesto 2019, billed for Abuja

By Ijeoma Thomas-Odia
23 November 2019   |   3:41 am
Nigerian women from various walks of life have concluded plans to converge for a national dialogue to discuss issues affecting women. In a statement by organisers of the event, the dialogue...

Nigerian women from various walks of life have concluded plans to converge for a national dialogue to discuss issues affecting women. In a statement by organisers of the event, the dialogue, tagged Womanifesto 2019, is expected to generate an articulated set of demands that will lead to a coordinated women’s movement in Nigeria as different women groups and individuals start to push for its actualisation.

The method for facilitating the generation of the “womanifesto” will ensure that participating women have the opportunity to articulate the Nigeria they want because delegates will be drawn from women groups, collectives, civil societies, entrepreneurs, professionals, social media influencers and women within the labour work force.

According to the Communications Chair of the dialogue, Mary Ikoku, Nigeria is among the 10 per cent of countries worldwide that exhibits the highest levels of gender discrimination with an assessment of “high” or “very high” in all of the evaluated categories based on four social institutions- discriminatory family code, restricted physical integrity, restricted resources and assets and restricted civil liberties.

Also speaking on the dialogue, the founding Chairperson of Women Advocates Research and Documentation Center (WARDC), Dr. Abiola Akiyode said that the Womanifesto seeks to enhance the voice, participation and protection of Nigerian Women, the dialogue will consolidate our collective struggle to end gender based violence, poverty, insecurity, abuse of women’s sexual and reproductive rights and our rights to participate in our country.

“We can no longer be second class citizens in our land. We must move collectively to end the continued oppression of our bodily integrity”.

Organisers said the areas to be discussed include Violence Against Women and Girls, Women Peace and Security, Women and Economic Empowerment, Women’s Political Participation, Sexual and Reproductive Rights. Others include agriculture, education or other areas that women groups and associations deem critical.

The event is taking place at the National Centre for Women Development, Abuja between November 27 and 29, 2019.

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