Over 500 Niger Delta Women, male supporters and stakeholders in the Climate Change and Environment section converged in Uyo, capital of Akwa Ibom State at Endyz Event Center on Tuesday, December 17, 2019, to mark the Niger Delta Women’s Day for Climate Justice, an annual event to draw attention to the plight of women in extractive communities as well as stand in solidarity with Ogonis on the UNEP Clean-Up.
The programme which had as theme, “Building Women Resilience for Climate Action” received goodwill messages from several bodies including HOMEF, HYPREP, government officials from other ministerial departments, commending the women action and advising more collaborations with the government to ignite more positive action on the environment.
A keynote address prepared by Dr Heoma Worlu on Women’ s Resilience For Climate Change identified patriarchy as a major contributor to the challenges of women as it denies them access to the land beyond the surface as well as access to social benefits attached whereas they suffer more from climate change and the effects of oil and gas extraction.
Discussion panels covered issues on Climate Change in the Niger Delta, Ogoni Clean-Up,
Women and Livelihood, and Ecofeminism and agreed that climate change has come to stay so what is needed are means of adaptation.
Women and Livelihood, and Ecofeminism and agreed that climate change has come to stay so what is needed are means of adaptation.
The panellists observed that even though climate change and its attendant negative impact on society are felt most by women and children, not much is being done to address this. They agreed that the first step towards building resilience is individual efforts to back up.
