By Brenda Chidinma Imo-Eze
A non-governmental organization, Women Aid Collective (WACOL), in partnership with UN Women and funded by the Government of Canada, has empowered women leaders from various political parties in Ebonyi State.
This empowerment came through a one-day engagement meeting aimed at enhancing the visibility of women in politics and strengthening their leadership roles.
The event was a follow-up to WACOL’s previous engagement with female politicians from various political parties in Ebonyi State. Held in Abakaliki, it provided participants with essential strategies to navigate the political landscape effectively.
The program’s anchor, Barr. Helen Kalu, emphasized the significance of the initiative, explaining that it was designed to equip women with the necessary skills to increase their presence in leadership roles.
“This initiative is aimed at empowering women to become more visible in Ebonyi politics. Today, we are focusing on how different political parties represented here will drive this objective—which is increased visibility of women in the political sphere. What are they going to do on their own? What grassroots commitment are they ready to make? It is everybody’s business, not just one person’s responsibility,” Kalu remarked.
Participants were encouraged to play their roles properly to ensure the advancement of women in Ebonyi State politics. They were also urged to engage with stakeholders in their communities to support the objective of increasing women’s visibility in the political sphere.
The female politicians also committed to advocating for the sponsorship and passage of the Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill (GEOB) in the state, as well as pushing for 40% representation of women in both appointive and elective positions, aiming to ensure women have a stronger voice in governance.
Barr. Kalu further charged the participants to take the message back to their communities, encouraging support for competent women leaders.
“These women have been empowered to reach out to their communities, advocate for competent women in leadership, and support them whenever they run for office, without compromising their votes,” she stated.
The training brought together women leaders from 19 political parties across the state. Participants outlined action plans and expressed their commitment to delivering the message at the grassroots level, with the goal of increasing female participation in politics.
Barr. Kalu also urged the women to remain committed to their action plans, ensuring that every proposed activity is implemented with clear timelines.
“They should do whatever they say they will do. That’s why we asked them to attach dates to each activity in their action plans. We will meet again to review their progress,” she added.
Among those who spoke during the training were the Chairperson of the Zenith Labour Party, Chief Mrs. Juliet Nwinyinya, and the Chairperson of the Young Progressive Party (YPP), Hon. Nwogbaga Mercy. Both women lauded the initiative, describing it as an eye-opener. Specific women expressed their interest and readiness to contest for political positions in the 2027 general elections.