Traditional Ruler embraces WINET’s dialogue, promises to include women in cabinet

The Traditional Ruler of Amagu Akegbe-Ugwu in Nkanu-West local government area of Enugu State, HRH Igwe Ignatius Ogbodo Ugwu Eze, Chikwadoro 1 has promised that the community will include women in his cabinet and the town union in the Community.

He stated this during a dialogue on involving men in ending Sexual and Gender based Violence organized on Tuesday 17th August by Women Informat​​ion Network (WINET) for men in the Community.

According to Igwe Ignatius Ogbodo Ugwu Eze, it will take a gradual process for it to be accomplished.

A resource person at the event and lawyer, Mr. Nnamdi Otukwu urged the community members to desist from all forms of SGBV especially rape because the punishment for rape is life imprisonment.

Barr. Nnamdi Otukwu making his presentation

Mr. Otukwu said that there are laws in place including Enugu State Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law 2019 that punishments various types of violence against women and girls as well as other citizens.

One of the  resource persons, and legal expert, Mr. Ifeanyi Onaga said that men should do a number of things to support  ending violence against women and girls  in the society and these include challenging harmful masculine  norms that  encourage violence against women and girls; develop a cultural approach  for different measures to combat violence against women and girls; remove barriers to women’s  economic advancement  and to positions of leadership and participating in campaigns  to prevent violence against women and girls  in communities.

After the event, there was a brief dialogue on voter’s registration and women inclusion in Leadership.

A participant asking a question

In a presentation on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Continuos Voter Registration going on in the country,  the Program Manager WINET, Mrs. Ijeoma- Obinna Onwuka called on the community members to get their voters card in preparation for elections in 2023.

Programme Manager, WINET, Ijeoma Obinna-Onwuka

She said that it is only through voting for credible candidates that the nation’s democracy could be sustained.

Speaking on the importance of inclusion of women in leadership and governance, WINET Monitoring &Evaluation Officer, Mrs. Chinelo Dim called on Traditional Rulers to always ensure that women are included in their cabinets as they have a lot to contribute in the communities.

WINET monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Mrs. Chinelo Dim, making her presentation

The dialogue was organised by WINET in partnership with ActionAid Nigeria under the Women’s Voice and Leadership Nigeria (WVL-N) Project funded by Global Affairs Canada.