Nkata Ndi Inyom Igbo explains why the group didn’t celebrate International Women’s Day
By Emma Ogbuehi
A gender equity group, Nkata Ndi Inyom Igbo, has said Nigeria remains the poverty capital of the world because of patriarchy.
The group insists that Nigeria has refused to make appreciable progress because the country’s leaders have refuse to appreciate that “only women understand the pain of poverty and create the economic environment for prosperity.”
To reverse the trend, Nkata Ndi Inyom Igbo said, “Women need to operate on a level playing field through the enabling laws by the National Assembly,” but regretted that some lawmakers are making that impossible.
To underscore their displeasure with the status quo, while the whole world was busy celebrating the International Women’s Day (IWD) on Tuesday, March 8, the group refused to take part in the celebrations.
International Women’s Day is a global holiday celebrated annually to commemorate the cultural, political, and socioeconomic achievements of women.
It is also a focal point in the women’s rights movement, bringing attention to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women.
But rather than celebrate with the rest of the world, Nkata Ndi Inyom Igbo said it used the day to mark its solidarity with Nigerian women against an anti-gender equity National Assembly.
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“Nkata Ndi Inyom Igbo did not celebrate Tuesday’s International Women’s Day. We were rather raising our voices to express our displeasure with members of the National Assembly, paid with taxpayers’ funds that have declined to assent to the Gender Equity bills and a constitutional review that can engender equity,” the gender equity advocacy group said in a statement by Mrs. Nnedinso Ogaziechi, its National Publicity Secretary.
“Nigeria is the poverty capital of the world because of patriarchy. Only women understand the pain of poverty and create the economic environment for prosperity. Women need to operate on a level playing field through the enabling laws by the National Assembly but some members are making this impossible.
“Nigeria has the highest number of out-of-school children in the world at more than 13 million. Most of the illiterate population are women and an uneducated woman often has many challenges raising children who can be maximally productive for national development.
“Nigeria has one of the highest maternal and child mortality rates in the world. What is a country without women and children? The women need to have equal political platforms to right these wrongs.
“We at Nkata Ndi Inyom Igbo insist that the Nigerian National Assembly must as a matter of urgency pass all gender equity bills to empower more women to participate actively in nation building.
“We acknowledge the efforts of some members of the National Assembly towards the passage of the bills but we are disappointed at those who vehemently oppose equity and justice for all citizens. We are taking note of all of them,” the group led by Iyom Josephine Anenih, former Minister of Women Affairs, further said.
Nkata Ndi Inyom Igbo, which literally translates to “Conversation of Igbo women,” and has Mrs. Anenih, Dr. Regina Amadi Njoku, Professor Uche Azikiwe, Hon. Justice Rose Ukeje, Amb. Nkem Nwadibia Anyanwu, Prof. Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, Dr. Grace Okudo, Dr. Sally Bolujoko and Dr. Anne Okigbo as members of the Board of Trustees, says members stand against all biases.