Women’s Day: Kogi First Lady emphasizes need for equal treatment without gender bias »

Kogi State First Lady, Mrs Rashida Bello has on Tuesday, stressed the need for all to work in unity for equal treatment of all irrespective of gender.

Mrs Rashida Bello who was represented by the Wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs Ejura Mercy Onoja at the 2020 International Women’s Day that held at the Glass House in Government House Lokoja, made this known in her address to mark the occasion.

Her speech: “Equal treatment for all, irrespective of our gender, seems to be just another restatement of the Golden Rule to me and I do not think, it is too much to ask. It simply means all of us must treat everyone else as we want to be treated, no matter our gender.”

“When we say, ‘equality’ we mean that societies must institutionalise systems which allow everyone to contribute maximally to community building, opportunities and reward systems for all human contributions should not be calculated on a sliding, or discriminatory, or gender-insensitive scale, but denominated by the merits of the individual,” she explained.

According to her, an equal world is an enabled world which is marked by cooperation between the sexes in the task of community development, that could help the world reach its full potentials.

“We have been lucky in Kogi State as both His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, his Deputy, Chief Edward Onoja and the New Direction Administration have charted a new course towards cooperation and integration in the state, she added.

“Women are known as the bedrock of every successful nation; Kogi women double that saying, as the candle light that holds Kogi State into success. Equality is a growing debate world over, in Kogi State, we have gone beyond domestication of the debate into actual practice and implementation.

“His Excellency, the Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello as a policy, runs his government on a balance gender parity. The Secretary to the Government of Kogi State, Dr Mrs. Folashade Ayoade Arike leads in this very important debate. The Head of Service, Deaconess Mary Ogunmola also leads in this debate. They are several other women holding notable public positions in the New Direction Government which you are all aware of.

“My office as the Wife of the Governor is also fully functional. We have made efforts toward women intervention to further the debate of the feminine gender. Across the state, my office has established different skill acquisition centers for women in Local Government Areas which includes: Lokoja, Okene, Igalamela Odolu, Koton Karfe/Kogi. This is to contribute to the United Nations charter on women empowerment for self sustenance.

“The Direct Reach Out Project (DROP) project which is a one-on-one focus on women emancipation has given hope to many Kogi women who have benefited from the project. Financial seed Grants to various women to aid small scale businesses have also gone up in efforts over the past few years.

“Politically, we believe our women friendly Governor would do more in the coming years. On the official website of the International Women’s Day 2020 provides some insight into how all of us can contribute to #EachforEqual in our little corners. I quote: “Individually, we’re all responsible for our own thoughts and actions – all day, every day. We can actively choose to challenge stereotypes, fight bias, broaden perceptions, improve situations and celebrate women’s achievements. Collectively, each one of us can help create a gender equal world,’ she concluded.

The programme which is tagged women summit on preventing violent Extremism in Kogi with the Theme ” I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights, was coordinated by the office of the First Lady in collaboration with Actionacid, PIBCID and Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.