NewsLetter OctoberIssue

7/30/2019 NewsLetter OctoberIssue

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The

DeltaWomenNewsletterOctober Issue

www.deltawomen.org [email protected]

Considering this, it is absolutely imperative that

women be made an integral part of the process

of preventing conicts, and part of democratic

and peacekeeping roles. Although this would

contribute heavily towards protecting women,

the ground reality is that the inclusion of women

in pre and post conict measures has beenignored largely. A UNSC Resolution (Res 1325

in 2000) worked to urge all the member states

to ensure increased representation of women

at all decision-making levels in national, regional

and international institutions and mechanisms

for the prevention, management, and resolution

of conict. Aside of reecting the evident

lack of the involvement of women in dealing

with conict, the resolution also showed signs

of being a proactive initiation of the process.However, the situation a decade since shows

no signs of improvement, or abatement.

Consequently, a recent endeavour was made by

the Security Council, with a host of deliberationsthat discussed the means that may be deployed

World over, women are the greater part of the

segments of society that ee from the scene of

conicts. With most of the men folk taking to the armed

forefronts, women nd themselves being made the

sole breadwinner of their families. Coupled with the

economic considerations, there is always the loomingthreat of sexual violence. Oftentimes, the bodies of

women become the battleground, as combatants and

non-combatants exploit women sexually.

CEOElsie Ijorogu-Reed

Editorial Coordinator

Kirthi Jayakumar

Writers and ContributorsAchilla Imchen, Rohit Kumar and

Stephanie Smith

DesignerMohanad Abdelnabi

Newsletter by Deltawomen NGO.

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to effectively implement Resolution 1325.

The frugal to non-implementation of the

resolution boils down to the question of policy.

The involvement of women in the process of

peace-building and peace-keeping, as also in

the active political trajectory of a state is largely

up to the state itself, and its policies vis-a-vis

women. In most parts of the world, women

nd themselves inadequately equipped and

inadequately represented. Furthermore, in several

post conict regions, women nd themselves in

a situation of fear, and in a situation where they

are placed as sole breadwinners, and thinking

of participation in the political process is far

too distant a proposition. Where the fear factor

goes, most women believe that participation in avociferous political framework might bring them

more harm. This is especially true in the context

of the Democratic Republic of Congo. When

women are forced to be sole breadwinners by

circumstance, they are obligated to put their

families rst. This often makes them want to

reach out to things that would benet their

families more than anything else. Consequently,

these women wind up either voting for leaders

who offer them sops and freebies but no future

plans of empowerment, or wind up staying

outside the political framework in search of a

means of livelihood that could provide for their

families. This is particularly true in DR Congo

and Zimbabwe, and to some extent in Nigeria.

Involving women in the peace process is not

easy, and is certainly not free of obstacles. A

strong commitment is needed from the states

themselves, to determinedly keep its women

safe, and offer them a good social standing.

On the part of the women, as hard as it mightbe, it is necessary that they put all their trust in

themselves, to take a leap of faith.

By Elsie

Nigeria lags far behind in women political

participation on the African continent, with verylow female representation in leadership positions

in national and local political institutions.

Since the 1990s, women activists and groups

in Nigeria have been advocating for increase in

the number of women in the political space. In

recent years, notably in the last decade, it would

seem that some improvement has been made

in this area. After the 2007 elections, data from

the National Centre for Women Developmentshowed that there were 9 female senators,

compared to 4 in 2003. The

proportion of seats held

by women in the National

Parliament also increased

from 3.1 per cent in 2000 to

7.5 per cent in 2008.

Measures have been

established to promote gender parity in the


Gender in Political

Representation

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countrys political participation. A national

gender policy was formulated to promote a 35%

afrmative action for women in political space (a

policy that demands 35 percent involvement of

women in all governance processes). After the

2007 general elections, for the rst time, Nigerian

women were elected to posts of Speaker of the

House of Representatives, Head of the Civil

Service of the Federation, Ministers and otherkey ofces.

Nigerian women, however, still have a long way

to go not only in national elective politics, but

also in representation at sub-national and local

elected positions, such as school management

committees. Data from the 2011 general election

show that regression is possible in the positive

inroads already made. For example, in the 2011

election, female candidates fared poorly, with

only 32 women elected to the national parliament

out of 469 members. Data from the election

suggests that in all political parties, few women

were elected to contest seats, and women who

were selected were given seats that were hard

to win.

The systemic disparity in political participation

needs to be considered in the context of the

larger patriarchal Nigerian society, wherewomen do not often receive the mentoring and

support they need to compete with their male

counterparts. While the constitutions of most

parties commit to gender afrmative action,

few have met the 35% target. At a macro level,

Nigeria has signed up to most of the global

agreements on gender equality, but have yet to

translate those commitments into action on the

ground.

By Achilla

www.deltawomen.org [email protected] 3


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Democracy is a system of government by the

whole population or all the eligible members of a

state, typically through elected representatives.

But the conundrum is, will democracy be good

for womens rights? The answer is yes. Womens

contribution is vital to building successful

democracies and thriving societies in developing

states, not only in Africa, but in the whole

world. In all discussions of democratization, thequestion of women crops up.

Social and political movements gaining

momentum in the North Africa in early 2012

appear to be opening the door for democracy;

initially progressive revolutions do not often result

in sustained improvements for womens rights.

While Egyptian women have been crucial in the

revolutions that have shattered the status quo,

their role in the future development of their owncountries remains unclear. In Tunisia, the fear was

that women will be sucked into an ideological

and religious tug-of-war over their rights,

reducing the complexities of democratization

into a binary secular/non-secular battle.

Across the African region, and from the streets

to ofcial decision-making spaces, there is a

resounding call for new overarching political

frameworks in which to women engagementand make decisions about their collective lives,

more recent winds of change seem to be blowing

in a favorable direction for Tunisian women.

The commission responsible for planning the

elections has voted for parity between men and

women on the candidate lists the rst step in

establishing a clear-cut role for women in building

a government and constitution The radical move

to guarantee womens 50% representation in

Tunisias politics is a fresh kind of revolution forwomen in Africa.

By Rohit Kumar

Women and

democracy

www.deltawomen.org [email protected] 4


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Campaign Round Up

NO WOMAN LEFT BEHIND

At Delta women NGO, we see ourselves as a partner for progress to our women. We work with

them to discover their unique abilities, talents and potentials. Our drive is to build in our women

the essential skills required to do business in a world class way, making them creators of their owndestiny and pillars of transformation in our society. The NO WOMAN LEFT BEHIND campaign

needs YOUR support. Help Deltawomen by providing women the Technical and Vocational Skills

Acquisition to overcome the challenges in todays world so that they can be useful to themselves

rather than be used as agents of violence.

Medical supplies were donated to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) in St Patricks College,Asaba Delta State. The NGO was represented by the CEO, Mrs Elsie Ijorogu-Reed at the Regional

Dialogue on Renewably Energy Technology for Increased Agricultural Productivity and Sustainable

Development in Abuja, Nigeria. A platform that showed promises for a bright future. Within the same

month, Okuijorogu was agog as the CEO and her team stormed the community. It will be recalled

that Okuijorogu community in Okpe Local Government Council of Delta state is totally left out in the

sheme of educational activities, which was the reason the team visited. After a brief meeting with

the Elders as regards their request for a school which the NGO is at the fore front, Mrs Reed did

not leave it there, as she also dished out Notes books, Pencils and Biro to the community children.

More so, the NGOs team visited Ugba Primary School, Onicha-Olona in Aniocha North Local

Government Council still in Delta state. However, the dilapidated picture posted on the internetneccessitated the visit, to see how the NGO could help the community in making the school a

standard one.

FREE EYE TEST

The Deltawomen Eye-Care Campaign in the Delta State serves to provide free glasses and eye

check-ups. Our upcoming free eye test is going to be held on the 29th of December in Igbanke,

Edo State, Nigeria.

WELCOME, NEW VOLUNTEERS

Deltawomen welcomes 10 new volunteers, who join our team this month to work on our various

projects.


Documents

NewsLetter OctoberIssue