By Josephine Oguntoyinbo

As Ondo State joined the rest of the world to celebrate International Women’s Day today, the State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa has assured that concerted strategic policies and structures would be put in place to promote the fundamental rights of women and the girl-child in order to protect them against any forms of bias and discrimination.

The Governor further stated that his administration will continue give priority and invest in women’s health, safety, well-being as well as combat the rising tide of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) among others, as all these are considered as necessary investment in women’s development.

Aiyedatiwa represented by his Deputy, Dr Olayide Adelami, made this known at the 2024 International Women’s Day held in Akure today.

He noted that the day remains an important opportunity to elevating and amplifying the focus on women’s advancement.

He added that it is high time women were given room to exhibit their full potentials for the attainment of their economic breakthrough, access to needed health services and empowerment in order to inspire the inclusion which is the motive of this year’s theme.

He assured that his administration would continue with its deliberate investment and support women in all possible ways to attain their full potentials in all spheres of life, adding “We shall ensure equal access to all available opportunities, support women-owned businesses and break barriers that tend to impede women’s progress.

“As we gather today to celebrate this year’s Day, we are charged to reflect on the encouraging theme. Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress and the campaign theme Inspire Inclusion. The themes, no doubt, serve as a clarion call to action, charging us to critically consider the need to invest in women to achieve positive change, accelerate progress and create a more inclusive world for women.

“It is our common belief in this part of the world that when you train a woman, you train the whole nation. This belief buttresses the fact that investment in women is never a waste as it always has positive multiplier effects on the society. I, therefore, strongly align with the theme for this years celebration which is a pointer to the fact that women have a lot of roles to play for the society to achieve the much desired progress we all crave.

” The theme, therefore, is a reminder to all well-meaning individuals and government at all levels to channel efforts to investment in women for the world to become a better place for all to live.

“Kindly be assured of our commitment to creating an all-inclusive and equitable society where all women, irrespective of their background have unbridled opportunity to flourish. I, therefore, seize this opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to investing in women, championing their rights and also amplifying their voices.

“Let us therefore, jointly accelerate progress towards a more just, equitable and inclusive world for our women. I am glad to disclose that in Ondo State, women are given a pride of place in the scheme of things”.

Earlier in her welcome address, the Special Adviser to the Governor on gender matters, Mrs Olamide Falana
informed that the International Women’s Day is being celebrated annually on the 8th of March to recognize and celebrate women across the globe for their remarkable contributions to the society and the world at large.

She said that the theme for this year’s celebration “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress” and the campaign theme “lnspired Inclusion” are apt and relevant considering the present economic situation in the country.

“It would gear up both men and women to inspire the inclusion of women in investment in order to accelerate progress in the world at large, this is a wakeup call to end poverty, change women to green economy, to be gender responsive in financing and to support feminist change-makers”.

In her admonition, the Special Guest of Honour and the Iyaloja General, Chief (Mrs) Folasade Tinubu-Ojo, urged market women to help the government by not inflating prices at this critical time so as to make life easy for people.

She noted that the spirit in women should be activated in supporting homes, saying that the roles of women are numerous as the backbone of every family.

The guest lecturer, Prof. Helen Ogunsuyi who spoke on the topic, “The significance of women in current economic hardship”, said that there are natural ability in women towards positive change, stressing that women can proffer solution, ensure accountability, intelligent and easily adaptable.

The permanent Secretary, Primary Health care Board, Francis Akanbiemu gave health talk on human papiloma virus vaccine at the event.