POWER urges support for women’s rights, gender equality

LAGOS, Nigeria – A non-profit organization, the Partnership Opportunities for Women Empowerment Realisation (POWER), has reiterated its call for all Nigerians to support women’s rights and gender equality in every aspect of life.

Making the call at the weekend as part of the organisation’s celebration of the International Women’s Day marked on March 8 every year, POWER said “we have always purported that the empowerment of a woman is the spring board of the empowerment of her family, her immediate community which has a ricochet effect on the nation at large.”

The Founder and Initiator of POWER, Mrs. Obioma Liyel-Imoke in her address at the occasion added that the organization would seek partnership in training and mentoring young towards having a positive mind towards politics and other elective offices in the country.

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She added that empowerment brings about development. “It is in the place of empowerment that the woman has a voice to speak and to negotiate and to become a partner and a co-decision maker in the home, office, community and polity.”

In consonance with the UN theme, she said organisation themed its event The POWER Woman, which focuses and addresses the woman in POWER – and the value her being in a position of POWER can bring to society.

The management of the organisation said that POWER has various programs, which have been meticulously put together to change the narrative for women and girls.

Some of such programs, she said are the GLOW project- Giving Life Option to Widows, The AWAKE Project – Awakening women and girls to power in engaging in agriculture, and MACA Project – Mothers against Child Abandonment. The MACA project, she added gave birth to the Destiny’s Child Centre and the Carnival Calabar Queen Pageant a project aimed at helping vulnerable teen age girls in society.

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“Being the wife of a consummate politician, I have seen many women, able, capable women who could possibly change the narrative of our nation if allowed to serve their country, but as a result of gender disparity or inequality, the silent code that exist in our dear country and in the world at large, these abilities have not seen the light of the day and they have either died with their gifting or talent or just settle for mediocrity.

This led to us initiating the POWER Political Advancement 4 Women (PPA4W),” she further stressed.

To further encourage women to participate fully in elective political offices, Mrs. Imoke said POWER has identified women who were, and still interested in politics and governance and have shown that interest by stepping out boldly and obtained nominations through their party systems and “we supported them financially – which is one of the major hindrances to a woman being able to engage in politics amongst many others.”

She identified some of the hindrances women in politics face, which her organisation is set to correct through mentoring, coaching, teaching and guiding 1000 girls – 18 years and above who will become actively involved in POWER.

“Therefore, I bring you a challenge that each of us makes a decision today, in our own spheres of influence to purposefully ensure equality of gender always. We are not re-inventing the will. 

“POWER has curated this year’s International Women’s Day commemoration because we believe that there is an urgent need for our young girls to begin to participate more in politics and obviously advocate for more women inclusion in parliament, governance and decision making within the ambience of the polity.

“Attaining equality in gender participation is definitely one great step in achieving sustainable development in any country,” Mrs. Imoke stressed.