Over the years, women have distinguished themselves in their chosen fields of endeavour ranging from politics, entertainment, arts, technology, public service, finance, education, banking among others.
This giant stride by women, as well as the challenges confronting them, is highlighted globally on the 8th of March every year through ‘The International Women’s Day’ to draw attention to the importance of women to the socio-economic and political development of any society.
This necessitated this year’s ‘Women in Culture Celebration’ organized by the Chinese Embassy in collaboration with the Female Artists Association of Nigeria held at the China Cultural Centre in Abuja on Wednesday as part of activities marking the 2023 International Women’s Day Celebrations.
Liang Huili, wife of the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Cui Jianchun in her welcome address said women have made significant contributions to the development of humanity and deserve commendation.
According to Mrs Liang, the growth in bilateral ties between Nigeria and China would not have been possible if not for the creativity, productivity, and sacrifices made by women of both countries in all aspects of life.
Her words, “In the past months, I met with several female staff and workers from both China and Nigeria during commissioning ceremonies of some large-scale cooperative projects such as the Lekki Deep Sea Port, Lagos Light Rail and Blue Line, to which I accompanied my husband to attend. I can confidently say that Nigerian women are among the most hardworking, creative and productive people I have ever met.
“Nigeria and China are about to turn into a new page of national development. With deeper participation of women from both countries, our bilateral cooperation would make more achievements and bring more benefits to the two peoples.
“China and Nigeria are developing but at different levels. We blossom one by one. For young girls, my suggestion is that education changes everything. It allows one to develop herself; it plays a critical role in the development and as such, we need to give more attention to it.”
She noted that the Chinese government have taken deliberate steps in addressing issues affecting women such as gender equality and the rights of women in the workplace through state-backed legislation.
“Presently, women account for 40% of the labour force in China. In 2017, there were 340 million women in the labour force, doubling the figure in 1978.
“The number of female officials at Communist Party of China and government departments increased from 422,000 in the early 1980s to 1,906,000 in 2017, accounting for 26.5 per cent of the total officials.
“China endows men and women with equal rights to education by formulating and implementing laws and regulations,” she added.
Also speaking, Minister of Information and culture, Lai Muhammed who was ably represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry said the 2023 International Women’s Day provides an avenue to reflect on the contributions played by women in nation-building as well as the challenges they face.
His words, “This day provides an avenue to raise awareness about the right of women, gender parity, and abuse, thus it is an advocacy platform for promoting gender equality, discrimination against women and other forms of action that put women in a disadvantaged position.
“When we talk about the progress of women, we are talking about the progress of society. Therefore today is equally a day to reflect on the contribution of women who have made giant strides in our communities.
“We, therefore, use this medium to appreciate women whose contributions have helped to improve humanity on all fronts. They make the world a better place to live in whether as homemakers, teachers, engineers, politicians and so on.”
While thanking the Chinese government for always supporting and empowering Nigerian women, the minister enjoined all stakeholders to set up structures, and improve institutional capacity for the advancement of the course of women as nation builders.
Earlier in her remarks, Ngozi Ajande, co-founder of the Female Artists Association of Nigeria said the association which was formed in 2001 has given women a voice to air their views using arts as an advocacy tool against gender-based violence such as rape and to celebrate women in every aspect of life.
She stated that the 2023 International Women’s Day under the theme ‘Digital Hub, Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality’ is a call to educate more women and girls on the importance of digital technology because today’s world has become digitized.
She appreciated the Chinese embassy and cultural counsellor, Li Xuda for supporting the association through art workshops and training in China and appealed for more support from the Chinese government.
On his part, Li Xuda, Cultural Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria said female artists in Nigeria are very talented as can be seen from the beautiful artworks on display at the exhibition stands.
According to Mr Li Nigeria and China have maintained a mutually beneficial friendship for decades and the relationship will be sustained through cultural exchanges.
Major highlights of the celebration were the exhibition of over 50 beautiful paintings by members of the female artists association and the Chinese Tea Ceremony showcasing how Chinese tea is made.
Cash gifts and certificates were also presented to winners of the Essay writing competition organized by the embassy while attendees were entertained with different musical displays by Nigerian and Chinese performers.
International Women’s Day is a global holiday celebrated annually on March 8 as a focal point in the women’s rights movement, bringing attention to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women.
See photos from the event below:
