Ikot Abasi Women Rally for Inclusion in Environment Decisions
By Ekemini Simon
Hundreds of women from the oil producing communities of Ikot Abasi local government area in Akwa Ibom State have rallied in major streets of Ikot Abasi highlighting issues of inclusion in decision making towards environmental conservation and climate Justice.
The women and some men who joined them rallied on Tuesday together with Nkori Rural Women and Development Initiative (NRWDI), a non-governmental organization with support from Global Greengrants Fund and Oilwatch Africa carrying placards and banners to pass their message of inclusion.
Some of the inscriptions read ” Women, stand up for environmental and climate Justice”, ” Join women for climate justice campaign”, ” Don’t decide for women. Include them in environmental decisions”, ” Women are good managers of the environment “.
Others are ” Women have a role to play in our environment. Give them a chance”, and ” Climate injustice increases women’s vulnerability”.
Addressing the press after the rally, a woman Leader in the area, Victoria Ubong said they had to carry out the street march in order to create awareness and prick consciences towards a change from women exclusion in decision making to inclusion.
She said ” The women of Ikot Abasi are vocal women. We are known to resist oppression and exclusion. That is why we started what has come to be known as the Aba women riot of 1929.
” After the first training and then a town hall meeting on women inclusion in decision making for environmental conservation and climate Justice by Nkori Rural Women and Development Initiative, our consciousness was resuscitated and decision to take action by creating this awareness to make other women join us and also showing our men folks that we are ready to be carried along when it comes to environmental decisions.”
Ubong said the rally was timely especially as it was within the time which they expect need assessments would be conducted for the incorporation of Host Communities Development Trust (HCDT).
The women leader noted that the rally will make the community leaders understand that the women must be consulted for their input in the HCDT process and beyond.
She assured that the women will sustain the campaign beyond the rally and ensure that women who she said bear the highest burden of environmental crisis are together with the men at the forefront of decision making on issues concerning the environment.
Also speaking, the Coordinator of Nkori Rural Women and Development Initiative, Okoho Ene noted that the organisations decided to support the women in the rally after they showed readiness to pass their message across the domain.
She assured that NRWDI will continue to support the women to realise their aspirations.