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Women in Imo State joined their counterparts across the globe yesterday, the 25th of November 2020 to kickstart the Orange Campaign 2020, which is an annual campaign to run from 25th of November to 10th of December, hence it’s called the 16 days of activism to raise awareness on gender based violence.

In Owerri, the state capital, Barr. Mrs. Chioma Uzodimma, wife of the Executive Governor of Imo State, through the Ministry of Women Affairs hosted a road walk to mark the global event.

The walk started from the House of Assembly and ended at Government House where the women were received by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Placid Njoku who represented Governor Hope Uzodinma.

The Deputy Governor addressed the women and acknowledged that the situation of women needs to be improved drastically.

Our reporter who was on ground in an extensive interview with Hon. Cllr. Celia Osakwe-Hibbert, the Special Adviser on Diaspora Affairs to the Governor, sort to know the significance of the march with the women.

In her response, she said “I am ‘on the front line’ for the next 16 days with other dedicated women across Nigeria to fight rape, genital mutilation, forced marriage, brutalisation, outcasting of divorced women and women with no male-child, out casting of women living with disabilities and mental health issues, humiliation of widows.

“We will fight lack of inheritance rights and all forms of abuse against women”!

She continued, “Sadly some of those we looked up to have failed to challenge this, it’s CULTURE some say!

“Well, I and my generation totally disagree and we call it generational gender based violence pandemic!

“Our goal is now to force a change, and rebuild our societies with women valued as much as their male counterparts.

“We believe that a better life for ‘the girl child’ is possible. And luckily, we now have the SDG Governor, His Excellency Senator Hope Uzodimma who believes in gender parity; under his administration we can make advancements towards eradicating gender-based violence”, she stated.

Notable figures who took part in the event are, Deputy Governor and Wife, Speaker of the state House of Assembly and Wife, Deputy Speaker, Several House Members, and Wife, Commissioner for Women Affairs, Housing, Tourism, Sports, Special Advisers on Signage, Diaspora Strategy, Skills and SA IGR’s Wife, among others.

Albertiqs Foundation and several other Foundations and groups were ably represented alongside representation by Imo Diasporans.