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Ese Usamali Foundation for Rural Development (EUFORDe), a non-governmental organization, with the vision to integrate the rights and capacities of the under-privileged, in the socio-economic planning and development of communities, has held a one-day sensitization forum for women in Ahoada East Local Government Area.
The program, tagged ‘Voices of Grassroot Women, 2023,’ was supported by Ahoada East Local Government Council, Habitat Protection and Sustainable Development Initiative, Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Center, as well as from Port Harcourt Mundial and National Point Newspapers.
Held at the council headquarters in Ahoada, on December 11, 2023, the event had women from 25 communities in the council area (Ahoada East) in attendance.
According to Mercy Elemchukwu-James, executive director of Ese Usamali Foundation for Rural Development (EUFORDe), the event “was implemented to commemorate the 16 Days Activism, World Human Rights Day and other areas such as Environmental/Climate Crisis that affect women, including women with disabilities.”
She told our correspondent that the women were sensitized on “the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, Power Relations and Power Alternatives, and building a Feminist Economy for Eco-system Restoration; these are aimed at enhancing their awareness on livelihood improvement and responses, mitigation/adaptation of climate crisis, and other crises they are faced with.
“The women were also sensitized on the use of their voices to foster positive change for community development; they have a role to play on this space, therefore it is expedient they project their relevance and take deliberate steps to fostering the change they want. They also were empowered on Smart Agriculture and given some health tips to promote healthy living and combat stress.”
Recommendations drawn from Breakout sessions/Group discussions during the event include the fact that: *Grassroot women need education, empowerment, employment and support for their businesses and welfare; *They need support to send their children who are Out of School, back to school; *Livelihood support should be made for families affected by the 2022 floods, as some are still living in dilapidated houses, especially for women who are widowed; *Women request for mitigation on issues of abuse, rape, brutally of women; and *Women request for inclusion in decision making processes/planning especially in areas that affect them, such the prevalent flooding issues ravaging our communities.
EUFORDe’s Elemchukwu-James urged leaders at the community level, local, state and federal governments to “give attention to the voices of grassroots women.”
