Women in the Niger Delta Region have intensified campaigns against climate change and the harmful effects on women in the area and the environment.
The Executive Director, Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre, Obonganwan Emem Okon made their position known recently, during the 7th edition of Niger Delta Women Day of Action for Environmental Justice 2022, held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
Okon said the NGO and her allied community women organizations marked the Niger Delta Women’s Day of Action for Enironmental Justice.
The day, according to her is usually held every December 17 as a way to also contribute to the building of a grassroot eco – feminist movement in the oil rich region.
She maintained that the campaigns so far has contributed to strengthening solidarity building among groups across the communities, amplifying women’s voices on the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), oil revenue benefits of the 13 percent derivation fund among other laudable impacts made by the women of the region.
Okon noted that despite the disproportionate impacts of pollution and environmental degradation, women are not included in the processes of benefit sharing in the oil and gas sector, but yet women were impacted more from the effects of climate change and called on relevant government agencies to right the wrongs.
In his paper presentation at the event on climate reality: impact of the 2022 flood on women and sustainable solutions, Bayelsa based environmentalist, Mr Godson Dorgu, argued that majority of the people have come to the realization that climate change is real.
He said after the 2012 flood, most persons postulated it would take a very long time for such flood to reoccur, adding that women were the most vulnerable in any disastrous situation.
The environment expert noted that flooding incidents are often accompanied by a number of socio – economic problems that affect the women more, thus, the family depends on the women during flood and also stated that the impact of any emergency is worst on women.
The event which was celebrated on the theme, Flooding in the Niger Delta: Causes, Effects and Solutions also featured songs by Akwa Ibom and Ogoni women, solidarity messages from Professor Robito Ekanem of the University of Calabar, the representative of Oxfam, Mr Henry Usher and the state coordinator of WANEP, Mr Peace Edem.
Highlights of the event include demonstrations by some women groups in the Niger Delta, a panel discussion on women’s livelihood in the Niger Delta, women organizing stories, drama by the Theater Arts Department at the University of Port Harcourt, among others.