By: Valentine Adese (JP),
Just like a dream, the women in Plateau State have become very resolute in protecting their rights and getting themselves respected after several trainings, workshops and engagements with the Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA), (WRAPA).
WRAPA, a Non-Governmental, Non-Profit and a Charitable Organization has produced as output, over 100 women from its trainings, workshops and engagements, who can now stand and fight, on behalf of others and themselves, the rights of women in Plateau State, from the state’s suburbs, to the 17 Local Government Areas with few months.
You would recall that, WRAPA under the coordination and management of Jummai Madaki and Ruth Abwo, have constantly trained or engaged 25 participants each time of its trainings/workshops in Plateau State in order to meet the objective and main goal of WRAPA “to advance and protect the rights of women in Nigeria as provided by national laws and policies, regional and international treaties and agreements, through an integrated approach that, entrenches respect for the human dignity of the woman, as well as, her inclusion in decisions that affects her life, and the development of her community”.
The impact of WRAPA’s engagements from REALITY finds, can be felt with the way Traditional Rulers have set up women related desks in their palaces to check violations against them. The security operatives in the state are not left out, as they have also established desks to attend to such cases when the need arises.
It was therefore not surprising, when Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA), took Women’s Rights Advocacy to the Traditional Ruler of Gyel Community, the Local Government Chairman of Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State, Hon. Gideon Davou Dandereng and to the women in Gyel market during the celebration of the 2022 International Women’s Day.
WRAPA led by Madam Ruth Abwo, during the advocacy visit to the Gwomrwei, Da. Nga Dangyang in his Palace, with the LG Chairman in attendance, expressed the sadness of women, over the rejection of Gender Bills by the Nigerian National Assembly.
Abwo said, “It is regrettable that, the proposed Gender Bills in the 5th Constitution Alteration Bills that were rejected are Bills targeted at addressing the current gender imbalance across the Legislative Arm of Governments across the country”.
According to her, the rejection of the Bills has further reduced women representation in political office and has made their vote during elections as irrelevant.
At the Market place in Gyel, while rallied around by women and flanked by members of WRAPA, the voices of the women could be heard resolutely saying that, “despite what has happened at the National Assembly, we will not stop fighting and celebrating the Women’s Day. It is our day and we have to celebrate!
Adding that, “The men of the 9th Assembly, have rather reinforced the discrimination and political bias against us, as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution,. but we have resolved to move on and we shall punish those who rejected us with our votes too and very soon”.
You would recall that, the 2022 theme of the International Women’s Day (IWD) is: Breaking the Bias with the hashtag, #BreakingTheBias.
It is a theme centered on Gender Equality today for a sustainable tomorrow.
SEE OTHER PICTURES OF WRAPA’S TRAINING SESSION BELOW:-
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