In commemoration of this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD), a faith- based non-governmental organisation (NGO), the Rose of Sharon Foundation (RoSF), has tasked government at all levels to include women in all government positions without bias.
The foundation’s National Coordinator, Oloruntosin Taiwo, gave this charge at an outreach and sensitisation of Sabo Market women and widows in Ikorodu, Lagos with the theme, ‘Inspire Inclusion, Count Her in: Widows’ rights are women’s rights, women’s rights are human rights.’
She said: “Government should give women a chance. There is a lot of ability within them. They should allow women express their potentials and their capacity and it will be for the betterment of this country.
“I discovered from my personal findings that many good things we are looking for in what we are doing are actually within women and the reason we are not getting these things is because women are not included. If we give women the same level of freedom to express themselves, the way men express themselves, I am sure we will have a good output. I have looked around and
I am yet to see anything a man is doing that a woman cannot do. So, the only way for us to be better is to allow women express themselves, give them equal access to resources, equal authority and equal access to power, so that they can bring the ability within them to the table and it will be for the betterment of their communities and the country at large.”
Taiwo further charged women to arise and show the world that they have the capacity in them to do anything they set their minds to.
“We need to come to the front and demand for what we want because sitting at the back, nobody is seeing us. We know we have the capacity, potentials and we need to bring it up; we need to make ourselves visible by getting involved in everything that’s happening from the grassroots. Whatever is being done in the community, women should arise and be a part of it, they should bring out their innate potentials within them and let people see that they can do it too so that space can be created for them. Space is missing for us, we need to show up and express ourselves, we need to make people know we can do anything and get involved,” she charged.
The Iyalode, Chief (Mrs.) Karimot Jokotade Ojikutu, also called on the government to include women in every political position to enable gender balance. She also urged the women to train their children on the right path to enable responsibile adults in the society.
Vice Chairman, Ayangburen-Sabo Market, Ikorodu, Remilekun Anifowoshe Ojuloge, advised the women never to be discouraged in whatever they do, to have a positive mindset and believe in themselves that they can do whatever they set their mind, in any capacity.
She called on the government to support their businesses and children as many of the women weren’t financially stable. Many women are also struggling to feed their children, especially the widows.
