By Muhammad Babayo Asha
A Bauchi based Non Governmental Organization Sharing Education and Learning for Life, SELL Foundation has organized a one day sensitization programme on women participation in leadership.
The SELL Foundation which is an initiative of St. Patrick Missionary Society in West Africa is working in peace building for young adults and vulnerable groups.
Speaking at the opening remark, the SELL Admin and Finance Officer Ms Mary James encouraged the women to always develop self confidence when aspiring for a leadership position.
Ms Mary James challenged women to be courageous and chart a course to surmount challenges when they are in leadership position.
She implored the participants to contribute actively as the session is intended to be interactive to enable them step down the knowledge acquired to other women clusters in their communities.
In a presentation entitled, Understanding Women’s Leadership Dr Easter Ahmed identified factors like cultural barriers, work life balance, and lack of role model responsible for the discouragement of women to excel.
Dr Easter Ahmed who is also the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Bala Muhammad on multilateral coordinator and focal persons in the diaspora, decried how women were denied the 35 percent affirmation action.
While encouraging the women in leadership positions to be resilient and focus Dr Easter Ahmed advocated the provision of more opportunities for women to add value for themselves and for the development of the country.
In a goodwill message Hamlet Head of Dankade, Abdulkadir Mahmoud called on Non Governmental Organizations to encourage women participation in security architect of the country.
In a remark, the state CAN representative Reverend Masoyi Jibilla Dadi called for the strengthening of the family formation system and the enlightenment of women towards societal reorientation.
Some of the commitments from the participants, Zainab Muhammad, Fadamar-Mada and Balkisu Zubairu from Trium pledged to share the knowledge acquired to some women clusters and charged women in the leadership positions to be fair and just at all times.
On her part, the Chairperson Women with Disability Integrity Development Initiative, Hajiya Asma’u Yahaya called for the inclusion of People Living with Disability in governance to enable them have sense of belongings.
Asma’u Yahaya commended SELL Foundation for organizing the programme and urged other NGOs to emulate towards full implementation of gender based policies.
In a vote of thanks, the Programme Coordinator Mr Beji Benjamin Jibe commended the lead panelist Dr Easter Ahmed for honouring the invitation and be part of the programme as well as BASNEC Admin Officer, Zainab Muhammad Hassan for mobilizing the participants.
Mr Beji Benjamin Jibe said the selection of the discussion panelists and other critical stakeholders was deliberate considering their wealth of experience stressing that next time young ladies would be engaged for a similar programme.
He encouraged men to support their spouses to attend greater heights in life.
Highlight of the discussion which drew participants from faith based organizations and women groups across the state featured groups formation to answer some questions for onward presentation.
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