June 12, 2004 – (Daily Champion) Women in Ebonyi State have called on political parties in Nigeria to always reserve 30 per cent of all elective positions for women.

The call was contained in a communique issued at the end of a one-day workshop jointly organised by the Rural Women Empowerment Network (RUWEN) and Friedrick Ebert Stifung of Germany at Ebonyi Hotels, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital.

The workshop, with the theme, Building Capacity for Women's Active Participation in Politics in Ebonyi State, was organised for wives of local government chairmen and secretaries of informal groups.

Participants decried the use of women as singers and protocol by political parties instead of empowering them for political development.

In a remark, the chairperson of RUWEN, an NGO, Ms Mma Odi said the workshop was aimed at inculcating in Ebonyi women, the ability to understand politics and position themselves as better partakers in a business that affect their lives in all ramifications.

Earlier in an address, chairman, Ebonyi State Independent Electoral commission Mrs Adeline Idike, said there is obvious need of special skills if women are to attain success in politics.

Mrs Idike a lawyer who was the chairman of the occasion, pointed out that there is no better time for women to rise to their onerous responsibilities in nation building than now.

"Women must not fail to recognise their God given role as Vessles for the transformation of the society from cradle to the grave. It behaves us to rise up to the clarion call to duty by firstly acquiring the necessary skills to enhance our output," she observed.

From: http://allafrica.com/stories/200406140392.html