WACOL Launches (50-50) Action Women Advocacy Group Of Nigeria

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Women Aid Collective (WACOL) Tuesday organized the National Launch of the Fifty-Fifty (50-50) Action Women Advocacy Group.

The group is a gender justice women group trained and empowered by the organization to drive the advocacy for the rights of women, towards the elimination of harmful cultural norms that reinforces violence against women and girls in the society.

Acording to the Organization, the ceremony held in Abuja was part of the activities aimed at expanding activities of the group, beyond its seven projects states, namely, Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Edo and Delta States.

“This is an initiative of WACOL/Ford Foundation West Africa funded Project titled “Transformation, and Translation of Social Norms, that promotes Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), in Nigeria, through the engagement with women’s rights, traditional and judicial institutions to end VAWG.

“The objective of the program is to share knowledge and achievements of the group at the project in the southeast and South-South states of Nigeria.

“It is expected that other CSO players will subsequently adapt, adopt, and replicate the approaches. Finally, it will envisage growth of a community of practice for zero tolerance of violence against women and girls across the nation.

The Honourable Minister of Women Affairs Federal Republic of Nigeria, H.E Dame Pauline Tallen, performed the official launching and decorated members of the group.

In her goodwill messages, she charged women to own their destiny and seek a better deal in the Nigerian projects by continuing advocacy for equal opportunity in governance and representation in decision-making structures.

She reeled out some of the gender focused projects of her ministry and advised community women to key into them to improve their social and financial status.

In her welcome remarks, the Founding Director of WACOL Prof. Joy Ngozi Ezeilo OON explained the objectives of the project, which was majorly to create awareness on the prevalence of harmful cultural practice in the communities.

She praised the efforts of the groups in curtailing them through advocacy to community gatekeepers and relevant MDAs.

Prof. Ezeilo, had detailed the achievements of the women group since it was birthed two (2) years ago, adding “These women have recorded an unprecedented achievements in their advocacy engagement regardless of their meagre resources, that was why we thought it wise to scale it up to the national level, so that more women can replicate the strategy and also bring change in across the nation.

She also promised to ensure that the group is planted and equiped with necessary knowledge and tools even at the LGA, so that they are further closer to the vulnerable group who mostly vulnerable to VAWG.

Other dignitaries in attendance included Hon Miriam Princes Onuoha, a house of Rep Member elect, who is currently seeking to become the speaker of the 10th Assembly.

Others are, members elect Enugu State House of Assembly Princess Obiajulu Ugwu representing Enugu South Rural Constituency under the Labour Party. Princess Ugwu promised to always represent the voice of women in the Parliament as her emergence as a parliamentarians is as a result of gender advisory such from women groups like the 50-50 Action Women.