Africa-Press – Cape verde. On the subject of International Women’s Day, which is celebrated today, the President of the Republic, José Maria Neves, today addressed a “special” greeting to all Cape Verdean women, praising gains and achievements, but alerting to the permanent challenges, especially in a context of crises experienced today in which women end up being the most affected. the fight against GBV and female poverty must be done in a “vigorous” way, he appeals.
“Endowed with dedication and courage to face challenges and win difficult struggles, throughout history, the Cape Verdean woman has proved to be an authentic heroine, embodying the hope of the future and, any victory that Cape Verde celebrates, is a victory of the Cape Verdean woman” begins by saying the Cefe de Estado, in a statement sent to our editorial office.
All congratulations, he says, are therefore “fair and deserved”, not just on a special day, “but every day”, which in his opinion should be “a tribute to the one who carries Cape Verde on her back and constitutes the pillar society and strength of Cape Verdeanity, transmitting, from generation to generation, our language, our culture and our love of country”.
Despite the path still to be taken, JMN recalls that women’s lives had an “extraordinary series of achievements, worldwide, in the last 100 years”.
In the case of Cape Verde, he says, independence is the milestone from which women saw their situation “evolving in an ever- rising way, following the trend of the rest of the world”.
Women most affected
However, he warns that the last few years have been “very difficult” for Cape Verdeans in general and for women in particular.
As he recalls, the Covid-19 pandemic, which paralyzed the tourism industry, affected “hard” women, who, as he stresses, “are almost all employees in accommodation and catering”.
The war in Ukraine, as is known, “inflated the cost of living”, especially for “single-parent families with low resources and headed by women”.
But, as he explains, there is still to add “the successive years of drought” which, together with all these crises, had “negative socioeconomic consequences”, as he highlights, “aggravating the survival conditions of the most needy families, highlighting the face of poverty and unemployment, which is essentially female”.
Rights
In general, says JMN, women can “reach” all levels of Cape Verdean society, “by right, and by merit already demonstrated”, in all professional areas, in leadership positions or in politics.
“However, they are still under-represented, resulting in less economic, social and political power, and parity is a goal that is still distant, since there are still situations of inequalities and obstacles that prevent many women from reaching their goals and dreams”, laments
On the other hand, he warns that they continue to be victims of GBV, “a sad reality that shames us and that we must fight vigorously”.
In this sense, he guarantees that, as President of the Republic, he will “commit to the defense of women’s rights, that is, in the defense of Human Rights and the Constitution of the Republic, with regard to the promotion of equal opportunities among citizens ”.
Awareness
Therefore, it warns that it is necessary to “reinforce awareness regarding the promotion of gender equity and equality, through the follow-up of actions, and making the best use of the legal framework”.
In this sense, it calls for efforts to be made so that more assertive public policies are implemented, capable of providing better alternatives to women, in order to guarantee them a better quality of life, especially in the poorest rural communities.
“The fight against female poverty and GBV must mobilize the whole of society towards the implementation of consistent policies in order to achieve the intended objectives”.
Solidarity for women in the context of war
On this International Women’s Day, the nation’s highest magistrate also sends his solidarity with “all women in countries at war, women victims of violence, discrimination, sexual, moral and political harassment and disrespect for the dignity of human person”.
In Africa, recalls JMN, people are experiencing the dramas of wars, coups d’état, terrorism, climate change, as he lists, and the disrespect for civil and political rights and for people’s social, economic and cultural rights .
“These are dramas that aggravate inequalities and poverty and that particularly affect women”, he condemns.
Challenges
In this context, the Cape Verdean PR ends its message by warning that the challenges are enormous.
“We must be prepared to face them, with courage and daring, carrying out the necessary reforms and placing all material and intellectual resources at the service of humanity. Only then will we be empowering women, promoting the common good and building the Africa we want and a better world for all”.
For More News And Analysis About Cape verde Follow Africa-Press
