A South East women group, Nkata Nidi Inyom, has called for an end to protracted discrimination people of the zone.

The group made this known in a statement titled: “Igbo women’s position on state of the national and Igboland for presidential delegation” released yesterday.

It said: “We want acceptance, sense of belonging and an end to protracted discrimination against us, our children, men and families.  Since the end of civil war, most Igbo have never felt fully integrated despite the policy of 3 R’s: reconciliation, reconstruction and rehabilitation. Igbo women have also borne the brunt of policies, which ostensibly aim to encourage national unity, but have become, in fact, instruments for their exclusion from social and economic benefits.

“The development of any country requires the participation of both men and women in equal proportion and if we must accelerate in the development of our country, women must be given leadership opportunities at all levels.

“It is pertinent to observe that gender empowerment is not a favour done to women, neither is it just a matter of electoral justice, rather it is actually a matter of social justice, smart economics because it benefits the society as a whole. In fact, progress for women is progress for men and overall progress for the nation.

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“Igbo women have had limited opportunity in governance but once given the opportunity have proved their transformational leadership ability.”

The statement signed by Amb Justina Eze, Iyom Josephine Anenih, Prof Joy Ezeilo, Prof. Uche Azikiwe, Mrs Cordelia Onu and Mrs Uri Ngozichukwuka added:  “We wish to reiterate that as Igbo women we are happy to work with our men towards the betterment of Nigeria. The ambition of every Igbo woman is tied to better life and situation for their families and communities.

“As it were, our children are being killed and our lands have been invaded and our women can no longer farm or provide food security for their families as they have done through subsistence farming.

“The increasing security challenge and pervasive violence against women and girls, including rural women farmers who have been wantonly raped and physically abused by herdsmen, criminal gangs and farm crops destroyed is a continuing threat to human and food security. It is extremely painful that our women are dying needlessly, especially from pregnancy owing to poor health infrastructure and exorbitant health care costs.