DISTRICT 411B WOMEN AND DEVELOPMENT SYMPOSIUM MEETS SUCCESS

Women and Development Symposium held on Saturday, 17th March 2012 at Blue Pearl Hotel, Dar es Salaam attracted 109 women from different background. This was the first time that Lions of District 411B, under the District Committee for Women Membership Development and Participation, organised such an extraordinary programme meant to sensitise Dar Women on touching issues.

This Symposium has been consistent with Lions Clubs Internationals’ and the United Nations’ pact of cooperation noted in the 8 Millennium Development Goals – the most aspiring being “to promote gender equality and empower women at all levels by 2015.”

The Chairperson for Women Membership Development and Participation, Lion Nimira mentioned at the outset that the Symposium was meant to talk about and remind each other of the importance of women in our society, an opportunity to hear eminent speakers who will present papers on, problems of street children, promoting women in the world, nutrition towards healthy motherhood, violence against women, legal rights of women, and women’s role in Lionism, in short and in nutshell, to discover why women determine the fate of the planet earth.

The Symposium was opened by Honourable Ummi Mwalimu (MP), Deputy Minister for Women Development, Gender and Children. She expressed her appreciations to Lions for organising such a Symposium that was planned to raise awareness on women rights, street children problems and motherhood. “The current problem of increase in street children on our streets was being looked at by the Government so that a community strategy for combating the issue results,” she said. Hon. Mwalimu added that nearly 3 in 10 street children had experienced sexual violence before reaching 18 years of age and 50% of them were victims of emotional stress while 39% were victims of violence. Symposiums like this generate awareness so that a concerted effort to stop injustices results.

During the event, the District Governor Lion Satish Sharma echoed his appreciations to the organisers and mentioned on the hard work that managed delivery of a rated Women and Development Symposium. He mentioned that Lions were in the forefront to integrate more women in their organisation so that they could be able to resolve their pressing issues. We need a diversity of people of all genders, all age groups and all cultures. Admirably, he mentioned, “Women are participating and acting in responsible positions at all levels of our societies.”

“UN are focusing on gender equality and women’s empowerment not only as human rights, but also because they are a pathway to achieving the Millennium Development Goals and sustainable development,” he said

The Symposium was attended by Lion Leaders and District Officers including PMCC/PDG Lion Safder Jaffer, 2^ndVDG Lion Wilson Ndesanjo, Cabinet Treasurer Lion Mohamed Lalji, RC Lion Hyder Gangji, ZC Lion Babul, ZC Lion Zahira Patwa and District Convenor Lion Anne Tumwine.