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IWD: Friends Of The Earth Advocate Environmental Justice For Women

Published

1 year ago

March 10, 2024

By Gloria Ikibah

A non- governmental advocacy group and partners known as Friends of the Earth (FoE) have ramped up efforts to push for environmental justice and gender equality to enhance women’s status in Africa and other parts of the world.

This was the focus of a virtual press conference to mark the 2024 International Women’s Day (IWD, on Friday.

The Coordinator Forest and Biodiversity Programme of FoE, Rita Uwaka emphasized the need to chart a transformative course towards women’s empowerment and gender equality.

According to her, it has become incumbent on leaders, especially in Africa, to articulate a compelling vision of inclusive governance and gender parity, driven by structures that will give women more opportunities to occupy key decision and policy making positions.

Uwaka, a notable advocate of women empowerment, lamented that women play significant roles in agro-commodity production yet they are denied access to land based on obnoxious traditional and cultural practices that hinder them and reduce their potential.

She therefore called on the government and the media to help strengthen the means to democratize development and make women’s voices heard within international solidarity agencies that promote and support women’s right and permit women more access to land ownership, stressing that “environmental justice cannot happen without gender justice”.

Edna Tabajuika from Tanzania said that “women are the backbone of the societies because they are the primary producers in East Africa yet get fewer benefits because of cultural practices that deny them ownership of land”.

She decried the situation where companies in the extractive industries are notorious in grabbing land from women in Tanzania warning that this is leading to food insecurity.

“Food security suffers when women lose access to land, because it leads to economic disempowerment,” she said.

Azeeza Rangunwala from Groundwork based in South Africa in her remarks, highlighted the increasing level of violence against women in South Africa even as she called for a “feminist transition” that will dismantle the patriarchal system that has worked against women emancipation.

She called for reforms in all arms of government to give women more spaces with an action that will work towards ending the obnoxious ideas and cultural practices that exacerbate the crisis the women are grappling with.

Normor Bee from Liberia in her submission called on women to intensify their pivotal role in shaping the human trajectory. She advocated for new generation of empowered women equipped with the knowledge, skills, through training and capacity building to effect positive change in their communities and beyond.

Aminata Massaquoi from Sierra Leone in her remarks said that the issues of policies in plantation areas are rarely talked about. She pointed out that the advocacy groups in Sierra Leone are pushing hard, especially on strengthening the laws that will protect women.

However, in most parts of the world especially in Africa, enhancing the status of women has faced massive impediments due to historical pattern of poor priorities and policies as well as cultural practices that have hindered the women and limited their potential.

In Africa, women play massive role in agro-commodity productivity as their efforts help to feed the growing population of the continent. However, women have limited access to land in most communities and in many others they face gender violence, unequal pay for jobs and suffer severe exclusion in decision and policy making bodies.

They are victims of wars and conflicts like the war in Gaza, where many women have reportedly been killed. The women also face enormous sexual exploitation during such conflicts which most times plunge them into poverty and deprivation.

Naijablitznews.com reports that the International Women’s Day is conceptualized and enacted by the United Nations and celebrated every March 8.

News

15 huts razed, one injured in renewed Jukun-Tiv violence

Published

2 hours ago

May 8, 2025

Admin

A fresh outbreak of ethnic violence between the Jukun and Tiv communities has erupted in Taraba State, with suspected Jukun militias launching an early-morning attack on Dekeh Village along the Wukari–Kente Road.
According to security sources available to Zagazola Makama, the incident occurred at approximately 1:00 a.m. on Tuesday.

About six armed assailants stormed the village, opening fire indiscriminately and setting 15 huts ablaze. The attack forced residents to flee in panic, leaving behind food items, including yam seedlings, which were destroyed in the blaze.

One resident identified as Mdue Saaondo, sustained gunshot injuries during the assault. He was rescued by a joint team of police and military personnel and transported to the Federal University Teaching Hospital in Wukari for medical treatment.

The Taraba State Police Command has launched an investigation to identify and apprehend those responsible. Authorities have also scheduled a security meeting with the Wukari Local Government Traditional Council as part of efforts to restore peace and encourage dialogue between the Tiv and Jukun communities, who have long-standing disputes over land and territorial claims.

“Patrol and surveillance operations are ongoing to forestall further violence and ensure stability in the area,” police authorities stated.

The incident adds to the growing list of violent clashes that have plagued southern Taraba in recent years, underscoring the urgent need for a sustainable resolution to the communal tensions.

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2025 U-20 AFCON: Flying Eagles zoom into quarter-final after draw with Kenya

Published

2 hours ago

May 8, 2025

Admin

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles booked a place in the quarter-final at the 2025 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations after playing out a 2-2 draw against Kenya.

Aliyu Zubairu’s side finished second in Group B with five points from three games.

The Atlas Cub of Morocco top the group with seven points after beating Tunisia 3-1 at the Suez Canal Stadium in Ismailia.

Kenya started the game strongly, and deservedly took the lead after six minutes.

Nigeria defender Emmanuel Chukwu handled the ball inside the box, and after initially awarding a free kick to Kenya, the centre referee pointed to the spot following consultation with VAR.

Captain Kevin Wangaya Colly slotted the ball past Ebenezer Harcourt to give the Rising Stars the lead.

The Flying Eagles fought back seven minutes later with Lillestrøm striker Kparobo Arierhi netting after he was put on through on goal by Simon Cletus.

Nigeria dominated the game in the second half but failed to test the Kenyan goalkeeper.

Kenya took the lead for the second time in the game through substitute William Nwangi on 68 minutes.

Nwangi lashed home Humphrey Kegengo’s free kick from inside the box.

Daniel Bameyi, however, converted from the spot to hand the Flying Eagles a share of the spoils.

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Trump announces judicial nominees, accuses US court of obstruction

Published

3 hours ago

May 8, 2025

Admin

United States President Donald Trump has announced a fresh slate of judicial nominees in a series of posts on Truth Social on Tuesday.

The president, who has repeatedly expressed frustration over what he sees as judicial obstruction, followed up on Wednesday with a post criticising the judiciary for allegedly preventing him from carrying out the mandate of the American people.

The Republican leader, whose second-term agenda has encountered multiple judicial roadblocks, wrote: “Our Court System is not letting me do the job I was Elected to do.

“Activist judges must let the [Donald] Trump Administration deport murderers, and other criminals who have come into our Country illegally, WITHOUT DELAY!!!”

Trump named Maria Lanahan, Missouri’s Principal Deputy Solicitor General, as a nominee for a judgeship on the US District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. He praised her as “a true patriot” in a post on Tuesday.

The 78-year-old also nominated Judge Cristian Stevens to serve on the same court, describing him in another post as “a Great Patriot.”

The announcements came a day after a federal appeals court declined the Trump administration’s request to revoke temporary legal status from hundreds of thousands of Nicaraguans, Venezuelans, Haitians, and Cubans living in the United States.