By Chidiebere Onyemaizu
Participants at the recent International Women鈥檚 Day celebration organised by Womanhood Outreach International and sponsored by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) have called for a new deal for Nigerian women. The event held in Ughelli, Delta State is themed, 鈥淎ccelerating Action: Investing in Women, Advancing Rights, Leadership & Equality鈥
Director of Youth, Sports, Culture, and Women Affairs at NDDC, Mrs. Imoni Ahunna, in her message argued that women must no longer remain at the background.
According to her, the time has come for women to step into national conversations, lead advocacy and drive the change we seek.
Her words: 鈥淎t the NDDC, we are not just celebrating women; we are investing in their power to transform the region.鈥
On her part, the keynote speaker, Dr. Clara D. Moemeke, Associate Professor of Science Education at the University of Delta, Agbor, stressed that society could no longer pretend that gender equity does not matter.
鈥淕ender equity is not inevitable, it is intentional. It is driven by bold policies, courageous advocacy and deliberate investment. When we delay gender action, we delay national development,鈥 Dr. Moemeke said.
She pointed to statistics which shows that women make up nearly 50 percent of the global population, yet own only 20 percent of land perform 76 percent of unpaid care work, and remain underrepresented in leadership, with Nigeria ranking 125th out of 146 countries on the 2024 Global Gender Gap Index.
Dr. Moemeke challenged the audience to look beyond the celebration and brainstorm on solutions: 鈥淭his theme is not a slogan, it is a mandate. Imagine a world where girls complete school without fear of marriage or violence; where women lead without bias and where every voice matters.鈥
She offered a poignant reminder: 鈥淓very time we underinvest in women, we undercut our democracy, our economy and our humanity. This is not a charity call now, it is a strategic imperative.鈥
On her part, Prof. Mary Olire Edema of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, argued that women鈥檚 leadership is not a luxury but essential. According to her, 鈥渆mpowering women is a catalyst for sustainable development. 鈥淟eadership must begin with access to education, finance, political platforms and safety鈥
She called for a cultural shift, saying, 鈥淲e must move past a society where women join groups to receive handouts and into a generation where women lead cooperatives, industries and institutions.鈥
Dr. Olufunke Chenube of the University of Delta reminded participants that gender inequality is deeply rooted in historical exclusion. 鈥淲hen you exclude half the population from leadership for generations, you don鈥檛 just hurt women, you cripple national progress.
鈥淭he laws, the systems and the economy, all reflect this inherited bias,鈥 she said.
Other speakers harped on economic empowerment, inclusive governance, gender-based violence and the urgent need for legal reforms.
The event featured real-life testimonies and experiences shared by some survivors of gender-based abuses. Women trailblazers in politics and business also shared their experiences. They called for a Nigeria, where laws protect, leadership includes and every girl is raised to believe that her voice belongs not in the background, but at the decision-making table.
One of the most striking voices came from a widow and small-scale farmer, Blessing Okoro from Patani council area of the state, who declared: 鈥淭oday, I saw myself in these women. I don鈥檛 need permission to lead, I need opportunity.鈥