Effurun Branch of the National Association of Seadogs, Pyrates Confraternity, has organised a lecture to mark this year’s International Women’s Day with the theme, “For All Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment,” emphasising the urgency to expedite progress towards gender parity.
The lecture, which was well attended by women from all strata of society, took place at Saint John the Baptist Chaplaincy, Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun, FUPRE.
Capoon of National Association of Seadogs Rainbow Deck, Mr Emmanuel Okworu, said International Women’s Day is celebrated globally on March 8 to celebrate women’s social, economic, cultural and political achievements. He added that it also serves as a powerful call to action for advancing gender equality worldwide.
Mr Okworu noted that the lecture was put together to mark the day and to enlighten women on how to protect their rights and take care of their health.
He said the theme for this year’s International Women’s Day calls for swift, decisive measures to address systemic barriers and biases affecting women in various spheres and urged participants to put the knowledge acquired into effective use.
The host, Rev Father Oghenejode Abaka, described the event as timely and useful to women and called for collective efforts to protect the rights of women as well as to grant them privileges culturally, politically and otherwise.
He thanked the organisers of the event and urged the participants to take the programme seriously.
The resource persons were made up of two legal practitioners, Augustina Harrison and Sienna Unukogbon as well as a medical practitioner, Dr Stanley Oghomitse, a member of NAS.
The lecturers highlighted women’s rights and how to protect them, noting some medical problems affecting women and their remedies.
Some women, including Dr Rosaline Egborge, spoke about the day’s significance.
The immediate past Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun, FUPRE, Prof Akpofure Rim-Rukeh, was among the guests at the event, which featured a question-and-answer session.