Association moves to sensitize women on active participation in politics

From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

The Association of Christian Women in Politics, Bauchi state chapter, has vowed to continue sensitizing and educating women on the need to actively participate in  politics towards strengthening the democratic process as well as for the socio-economic development of the country

The state co-ordination of the association, Mrs.  Sarah Yohanna Ryaghan stated this at a one day workshop at the weekend for women stakeholders at Zaranda Hotel Bauchi, stressing that the occasion became imperative in order to stimulate women to participate in politics.

According to her, there is no going back in the determination by women to actively participate in politics alongside men to contribute in the development of the country.

She added that the occasion with the theme: “Dimension of women participation in politics in 21st century”, was deliberately coined in a bid to address the gender disparities against women whose duties are ignorantly narrowed down to the household. Ryaghan lamented that Nigeria women had suffered untold hardships due to lack of freedom to contribute their quota in the development of the country when successive governments failed to include them in the decision making process.

The association regretted that women and children are facing serious issues of poverty, discrimination in all ramifications even as government promised them 35 percent affirmative action.

“Women are globally threatened by health hazards such as sexually transmitted infection and HIV/AIDS and other related killer diseases.

“Our patriarchal society designate men as decision makers thereby placing men are figures of authority “said Ryagyan.

She stress that over 5,000 women were invited to attend the sensitization  workshop carefully selected from all the 200 council areas in the state explaining over 500,000 women have so far registered in the association.

Speaking while presenting his paper titled “the role of women in peace building in our society”, Rev. Joshua Ray Maina lamented that the role of women in politics has been neglected in the present democratic dispensation.

Joshua added that the deterioration of family values has been the bane of placing women at the disadvantage, a development he opined has resulted to crises at homes.

According to the speaker, the role of women in peace building in our respective societies cannot be overlooked in settling minor disagreements at home especially in the absence of men and same apply to nation development.

He then charges the women on religious, political and ethnic tolerance while describing the occasion as timely to sensitize them on the need to contribute their quota towards 2015 elections.