International Women’s Day: We must back up our resolve – SRSG

10 Mar 2015

International Women’s Day: We must back up our resolve – SRSG

10 March 2015 – The International Women’s Day has been celebrated on March 8th at National Heroes Square, in Bissau, with a march attended by the representatives of the President of the Republic and the UN Secretary-General, members of government, the first lady, diplomatic corps and international organizations.

The programme opened with a march of hundreds of women from regional and national institutions, as well as from civil society, in an unprecedented initiative having the presence of 14 countries.

SRSG to Guinea-Bissau, Miguel Trovoada, reading Ban Ki-moon’s message, said:
“Even in societies at peace, too many girls and women are still targets of domestic abuse, female genital mutilation and other forms of violence that traumatize individuals and damage whole societies. Discrimination remains a thick barrier that must be shattered. We need to expand opportunities in politics, business and beyond. We need to change mind-sets, especially among men, and engage men in becoming active change-agents themselves. And we must back up our resolve with resources based on the sure understanding that investments in gender equality generate economic progress, social and political inclusion and other benefits that, in turn, foster stability and human dignity”.

“This is a vital year for advancing the cause of women’s human rights. The international community is hard at work on establishing a new sustainable development agenda that will build on the Millennium Development Goals and shape policies and social investments for the next generation”, stated the SRSG.

Defense minister, Cadi Seidi, representing the Minister of Woman, Family and Social Cohesion, in her speech called the parliament to implement all juridical instruments for the benefit of women, the government in its program to take into account the specific needs of women in the budget and in areas such as education, health and social insurance, as well as to make credit available.

The minister also urged the private sector to collaborate with the government in order to facilitate the creation of cooperatives and partnerships that will enable economic development, the judicial power to tackle violations of basic rights of women, the traditional power to continue the process of abandonment of harmful practices , the civil society to invest in education, health and well-being, religious leaders to help educate the Guinean women and finally, the very same women to believe in themselves.

The program, which also counted with reciting poems, theatrical drama and music, continued in the port of Alto Bandim with a gastronomic event, products exhibitions, fashion shows and more musical entertainment.

The celebrations started at the beginning of the week with a women's football tournament between various institutions, followed by training on Transformation, Hygiene and Food Safety, and a djumbai theme at the Portuguese Cultural Centre.