International Women’s Day has been observed for more than a century since it began in 1911. It is marked annually on the 8th of March. The day recognizes the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women globally, and it’s a call to action for gender parity.
The campaign theme for International Women’s Day 2021 is ‘Choose To Challenge’. A challenged world is an alert world. And from challenge comes change.
Statistics on poverty in Nigeria indicate that 70% of poor Nigerians are women. Indeed more than a half of rural women live below the nationally defined poverty line, lacking access to basic education, decent nutrition, adequate health and social services (FOS 1997).
As women in rural areas across the country get older, they become defenseless to many risks. Elderly women lack access to proper health care and are most times sidelined or ignored in decisions concerning their welfare.
Despite efforts made by the African Charter for human and people’s rights to ensure women are protected from all forms of decriminalization, women particularly in hard to reach communities still suffer violence and abuse. Cultural constraints have millions of women suffering in silence.
In the Bahomono kingdoms, inter community wars had for decades plagued the lands.Bloodshed left elderly women widows, without sons and vulnerable to little to no access to basic amenities.
To commemorate the International Women’s Day 2021, AOA Foundation provided aid to over 80 women within Ebom community in Cross River State. Women everywhere are being celebrated today, women everyday should be supported, kept safe, educated, empowered.