From Magnus Eze, Enugu
Women Empowerment Education and Peace Building Initiative (WEPBI) has launched Women Leadership Academy (WLA) in Enugu State.
Its Executive Director, Ijeoma Oguadinma made this known at the flag-off of the initiative in Enugu.
Oguadinma said the project was borne out of the desire to develop leadership capacity of women and girls and make them pro-active leaders to enable them contribute and sustain the development of the nation through good governance and quality leadership.
According to her, the academy was aimed at promoting women’s rights, gender equality, and address skill gaps in women leaders.
She added that the academy would facilitate the strengthening of the leadership role of the girl child and women in the society.
It would also enhance the leadership potential of teenage girls from primary, secondary to tertiary levels of education in the spirit of ‘catch – them-young’.
“The WLA will be administered through the core values of inclusive leadership,a leadership that is aware, actively seeks out different views and listens to everyone irrespective of background, age, gender, ethnicity and religion as well as empowering women and girls to adopt inclusive leadership for better decision making, transparency, equity (leadership that is true, fair and impartial), accountability, mutual respect, informing to empower and leadership competence (by developing the community women and girls we work with to achieve proactive and competent leadership),” Oguadinma said.
Commissioner for Gender Affairs and Social Development, Princess Peace Nnaji represented by Mr. Eze Jude said women were relegated to the background, but that the narrative would change, especially with the step taken by WEPBI to encourage the participation of women and girls in politics.