Gender Action: Women Deserve Space In Community Governance

In line with our campaigns to ensure that women are given their rightful positions in decision making, CEHRD organized an awareness campaign on women inclusion in community governance on Wednesday 10th June, 2015 at Marine Base Community, Port Harcourt. The campaign was used to sensitize community people; both male and female on the need to give women space and opportunities to participate in community governance. This awareness campaign was a follow-up activity to the town hall meeting held on June 3, 2105 at Firisika Polo, Marine Base, where community stakeholders promised to support women in a bid to secure their inclusion in community governance.

The public awareness had in attendance members of the Women in Governance Network (WIGN), representatives of community youths, Polo chairmen ( Firisika Polo and Olomu Polo) , women representatives, female facilitators of the Marine Base Peace Club under (NSRP Output 3 project), Programme Officer from GADA and Chairperson Rivers State chapter of National Association of Women Journalist (NAWOJ).

The ‘Awareness Campaign Train’ moved from the ”down base town hall” through the Marine Base main road and later moved to the Rivers State Ministry of Women Affairs (RMWA), where they were received by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry Dr. (Mrs) Justina Jumbo, Director of the ministry – Mrs. Blessing Denin and other key officials of the ministry.

Dr. (Mrs) Justina Jumbo – Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of women Affairs in her brief address during the rally appreciated the laudable initiative of the Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development (CEHRD), funders of the project, stakeholders and leadership of Marine Base community for the support given to the WIGN, and further called on community stakeholders to make their community peaceful in other to encourage women and remove all fears associated with women participation. She reiterated the need to have a conducive atmosphere which will make women have interest in community governance and also ensuring that all barriers are removed. She concluded by assuring the WIGN of ministry’s support in its activities.

Polo chairmen also reiterated community support for the network, and will ensure that community governance includes women.