The 2023 Mothers’ Summit in Anambra State on Thursday took place with a call on the society to return to the communal system of child upbringing which has proved effective in ensuring that children are not left alone for their parents to take care of.
The summit brought together women groups and women leaders from all the communities of Anambra State, to an interactive meeting with the State Government through the Ministry of Women and Social Welfare.
It took place at the Prof Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre, Awka, as a prelude to the upcoming August meetings to be held in communities of the state.
Addressing the gathering, the Wife of Anambra State Governor, Mrs Nonye Soludo said the challenge of increase in social vices, crime and criminality is traceable to the failure of parents, especially the mothers, to train their children in the way they should go.
Describing the family as the cradle for impacting sound moral values, virtues and character in the child, Mrs Soludo regretted that mothers have abandoned their responsibilities in the homes, and are now fully in pursuit of money and career, at the expense of their children.
“Today, we see our children turning into things we never wished for them because we have neglected our jobs, assigned to us by God.
“Mothers as people with special gifts from God especially as it concerns training of the child. While the father may be too busy with all sorts of things, it is the mother that should stay home and ensure that the home front is in order,” she said.
The Anambra first lady urged women as they move out to do all forms of work, to create quality time to cater for the needs of their families and not to lose sight of the primary responsibility which is taking care of their children.
She advocated a return to communal system of living where mothers see other people’s children as their own and take the pain of correcting them when they are going wrong.
“Parents must also refrain from chiding teachers who reprimand their children.
“Also, mothers must also learn to question the source of their children’s sudden wealth, imbibe respect for their husbands and control their temper.
“Mothers must go back to the drawing board as the society depends largely on them to correct all that is going wrong today in the society.
“As we prepare to go for our August meetings, let’s take the message of returning women to their rightful position in the family as agents of change, to their various August meeting. We must use it to sensitize women at the rural communities on the need to be agents of change, on the need for parents to be conscious of the number of children they bring into the world to reduce the number of children plunged into child labour and trafficking.
“I must also encourage the women to embrace my Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo initiative. It is a comprehensive wellness package that will help women plan their lives and live healthy,” she said.
In her remarks, the State Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Hon Ify Obinabo explained that the summit presents the opportunity to interact with the women and identify challenges they face, especially at the grassroots.
She also said it was a veritable platform to sensitize the women on what government is doing in the area of women empowerment and how they can access them.
In her words, “the Chukwuma Soludo administration has done a lot to aid the course of women. Most important of all them is the Children, Sexual Gender-Based Violence Court, where we are handling many cases that affect women.
“Also, there are various openings for women in the digital revolution going on in the state and the governor has been emphatic about ensuring gender equality in the distribution of all government largesse.
”So, this is a government Anambra women can call there own. Our Ministry is open to listening to their cries and providing immediate solutions to them.”
In her speech, the Magistrate in charge of the Children, Sexual Gender-Based Violence Court in the state, Mrs Genevieve Osakwe said the court is poised to handle all cases of abuse of the rights of women and men, noting that the provisions of the law favour the course of women.
She further spoke on a new development granting women the right to property of their demised parents, whether they are married or not.
Bemoaning the spate of rape, child stealing and other forms of gender-based violence in the state, Osakwe called on parents who could afford it to install CCTV cameras in their homes, as burden of proof is a major challenge to getting justice in most courts.
In their separate remarks, some resource persons at the summit spoke to the women on the need to be themselves and not envy the men folk, as they are unique with unique mandate.
