IWD 2019 Report

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY (IWD) SCHOOL DEBATE
ON #BalanceForBetter.

Topic: Gender Balance in Education is key for Nation Building.

Project: The activity of the project is aimed at reducing gender inequality and
discrimination among boys and girls in secondary schools to achieve a balanced and
better world.

Project Summary / Background: The school debate aims at encouraging a
balanced and equal gender treatment for secondary school girls and boys early to
achieve and build a gender-balanced world in the future. Everyone has a part to play
International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8, a global day celebrating the
social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women-while also making a
call to action for accelerating gender balance.
Alliances for Africa (AfA) hopes to use this event to influence positively young school
girls and boys by offering them the opportunity to critically build and live gender
balanced life for better society through respecting their differences and uniqueness.

Project Goal: The goal of this project is to have a gender balanced orientation of
students and reduce gender based violence in secondary schools.

OBJECTIVES:
1. To promote gender equality among students more especially the boys who are
change agents.
2. To enhance equal opportunities and create environment devoid of discrimination,
and violence.
3. To strengthen and build gender collaboration among students towards
positivism.

EXPECTED OUTCOME:

1. An increased awareness and knowledge on effects of gender inequality
2. To have value for education free from gender based violence.
3. Better understanding of gender equal opportunity.
4. A re-orientation of age long cultural practices.

Venue: Umueze Hall, Rockview Hotel, Owerri, Imo state.
Time: Time is 9am.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY-#BalanceforBetter.

International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated annually every March 8 with special
themes capturing the need for the moment. It is a focal point in the movement of
women’s right. The impetus for starting IWD celebration came up in New York America
1909, when women demanded that they be given right to vote during elections, and to
hold public offices, they also protested against employment sex discrimination,
thousands of women garment workers protested as well against their working
conditions. In 1977, it was adopted by UN during in the General Assembly with
member countries present to observe International Women’s Day (IWD) every March 8
as UN Day for Women’s Right and World peace. Nigeria is a member state.
According to UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, achieving gender and
empowering women and girls is the unfinished business of our time, and the greatest
human rights challenge in our world. He said it is not a favour to women. Gender
Equality is a human rights issue, men and boys, women and girls. Gender inequality
against women harms us all.
Today we are celebrating IWD, involving students and teachers in secondary schools to
create a balanced for better schools, society and world at large.

The essence is to create and have a balanced world which gives us a better world.
This convening therefore is a call to action for accelerating gender parity through the
following:

1. Awareness raising against bias,
Take action for equality,
2. Challenge Stereotypes
3. Influencing behaviors
4. Lobbying and
5. Launch Initiatives.

We encourage everyone to be open to this course, collectively, every person and all
groups can make a difference within their sphere of influence be it home, school,
church, market place, community etc by taking concrete action to help to build a more
gender-balanced world through driving the course of #BalanceforBetter. You are the
first beneficiary.

Thank you as you enjoy the rest of the day.
Ogechi Ikeh,
Programme Officer (Women in Governance)
Alliances for Africa (AfA).

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