Kogi state first lady
Mrs. Rashida Bello has through her pet project Kogi Women and Youth Advancement Foundation (KOWYAF) empowered women in 
Kogi State, Twenty women from each of the Twenty-One Local Government Areas, making a total of Four Hundred and Twenty women empowered to start small scale business or boost their existing ones, in commemoration of the International Women Day 2017, which is themed ‘Be Bold For Change’.
International Women Day is a global celebration of past and present accomplishments of women and an opportunity to look ahead to the untapped potentials and opportunities for the future generations of women. The essence of International Women Day is to celebrate and appreciate the achievement of womenSocially, Economically, Politically and culturally.Our society has witnessed the development of women from being reduced to the background of hopelessness, illiteracy, inequality and poverty to producing trail blazers of high class and excellent accomplishments at different levels of human endeavors.
The 21st Century women have become bold and more powerful than ever because the women in every field of endeavor have risen to work shoulder to shoulder with the menfolk, and the women in their various chosen fields are reaching very tall heights every day. Today, it is noteworthy that we have women occupying positions like captains of industries and political leadership positions.These feats were not achieved cheaply on the platter of gold, they were products ofa sustained struggle by women folk all over the world, An example is Clara Zetkin who in 1908 in the women Leader’s Office of the Social Democratic Party in Germany led women to march in protest, demanding for rights, better pay, and shorter working hours, she suggested the idea of every country celebrating women on a particular day every year to push for their demands.
Women as an important ingredient to development, should be ready to take their place in the society, they are to show sense of belonging and be involved in activities that will bridge the gender inequality between the female and male counterpart.According to the World Economic Forum, gender gap will not close entirely until 2186, which is a long time from now. Reducing the time frame requires very concrete actions like empowering women and girls educationally, economically, and in all other possible ways.Beneficiaries of the empowerment programme of today are urged to make good use of this opportunity as it is done to help reposition them economically.We must all take definite and remarkable actions towards women empowermentand gender parity. Governments, corporate organizations, NGOs and well-meaningindividuals should also fly the banner of gender parity and women empowerment.
