Women’s contributions to the growth and development of a society cannot be overemphasised, this attests to the saying that “If you train a woman, you’ve trained a nation”, this is the opinion of some major stakeholders gathered in Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo state to celebrate the year 2024 International Women Day.
At an event organized by APIN Public Initiative to commemorate International Women’s Day 2024 held at APIN Office Bodija Ibadan, with the theme “Inspire Inclusion,” some concerned stakeholders called for more women’s inclusion in governance towards achieving a better society for all and sundry.
Speaking at the event, Mrs Ola Thomson, Gender Lead for APIN Public Health Initiative, stressed that International Women’s Day is a day set aside worldwide for the people, community, nations to garner support for the cause of women. She noted that the event was organised to critically look into many areas where there is need to raise voice for women support.
“Today we are focusing on women equity, and making sure that women are involved, women are included where decisions are being made and women are not exempted from where the decisions that concerned their lives are being made.
“So today we talked about everything that has to do with women, we discussed everything about their reproductive health, about empowerment of women, about self development of women, so it’s all about creating more awareness and sensitize people and at least use the day to focus on the cause of women, and a lot of things that concerns about women’s growth and development as related to our society at large,” she said.
Speaking on the theme,”Inspire Inclusion,” she said, “to inspire Inclusion, education is very important, to me I refer to education as the key to other aspects of our lives, if you’re educated you get more knowledge, you will be well informed ahead of others, know more than you supposed to know, and also to pursue a fruitful carrier.”
In his remarks, the Oyo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Abiodun Aikomo, represented by Mrs Ademola Salami, a Deputy Director in the ministry, noted that Governor Seyi Makinde priorities women inclusion in governance, adding that the governor is fond of saying that inclusion of women in all spheres of life is very important for the development of the society.
“My message to women generally is availability, we should always make ourselves available, we should be ready and be willing whenever we’re called upon, women should always prepare for opportunity to serve, they should be ready whenever they’re called upon, women should try and support themselves, women are number one enemy of themselves in this society and it’s so sad, we should start supporting ourselves by giving a voice, if we see our fellow women doing great things we should always try to support them,” Aikomo said.
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