Africa Prime News joins African women and their counterparts worldwide to celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day which is held on 8 of March every year.
The theme of this year’s celebration, “#BalancedForBetter” was chosen at no better time than now as they continue to clamour for accelerating gender parity in Africa.
Women’s Day was first organised by the Socialists Party of America on February 28 in 1909, which later became an annual event in honour of women’s remarkable contributions to the society.
The event is celebrated in more than 100 Countries including those of Africa, with some of the countries declaring a public holiday.
Advocating for the rights of African women cannot be complete without acknowledging some prominent African women leaders, who have made, or are making indelible marks in the movement for women rights.
Among them were Nigeria’s late Funmilayo Ransome Kuti, late Margaret Ekpo and late Gambo Sawaba. From South Africa there were late Winnie Mandela and late Albertina Sisulu. Other African women include Liberia’s Ellen Johnson Sirleaf; Burundi’s Sylvie Kinigi; Malawi’s Joyce Hilda Banda; and Mauritius’ Ameenah Firdaus Gurib-Fakim, among several others.
Struggle has continued all through Africa for better space for women participation. For instance, up till date, Nigerian women under the aegis of the National Council of Women’s Societies, NCWS have continued to call for the promotion of a gender sensitive and responsive culture in the nation’s policy planning.
Successive Administrations in the country have made promises including 35% affirmative action to enable women get an appropriate share of the opportunities available in both public and private sectors, which seem to have not been attained.
So, as women celebrate this Day, there is therefore the need for government to be gender sensitive and gender responsive for national development, resulting in women’s empowerment with appointments into portfolios in government.
On the other hand, African women should know that they have come along way and should remain focused and work together to add value to themselves, as well as use their numerical strength to their advantage.
They should also speak with one voice to make their impact felt on national and continental development having known that politics is a game of numbers.
