International Women’s Day 2024: Arabinrin Aderonke Ogunleye-Bello Calls for Women’s Empowerment.

Every year, the global community unites to commemorate and celebrate the remarkable achievements of women, reaffirming a commitment to gender equality on International Women’s Day. This globally recognized day, observed annually on March 8, holds vital importance, marking over a century of acknowledging and honoring the accomplishments of women worldwide.

The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day “Count Her In: Invest in Women: Accelerate progress,” is a powerful call to address economic disempowerment and promote the advancement of women.

Speaking to the press, Arabinrin Aderonke Ogunleye-Bello, the Executive Director of FAME Foundation, emphasized the importance of this event,

“International Women’s Day (IWD) is a special day set aside to celebrate women’s achievements worldwide and renew commitment to gender equality. It offers a chance for women to think back on how far they’ve come, advocate for reforms, as well as honor the bravery and perseverance of women who have made exceptional contributions to society.

She continued,

“This year, FAME Foundation is organizing an international football tournament for women. This is the fifth edition of the match and I can say it’s one of our biggest events of the year as it brings together different women from the highest sector of society to the lowest. Women from diplomatic communities down to the market women.”

Emphasizing the alignment of FAME Foundation’s initiatives with the theme, she stated,

“Reflecting on this year’s theme is very important. As a gender-based organization, FAME Foundation’s initiatives revolve around investing in women—especially young women. The 2024 theme cuts across our programs, projects, and activities. It also highlights the importance of gender equality, women’s and girls’ empowerment, and their rights to healthier lives. It’s a powerful development tool. We’ve worked with partners and civil society stakeholders to understand the socioeconomic, systemic barriers that negatively impact gender equality.”

Addressing existing challenges, she added,

“There are still many challenges to address, but they are not insurmountable. It is more important than ever that we stand firm to champion the rights of every woman and girl by investing more to accelerate progress. Let’s continue to keep pushing – and working for – the gender agenda, stand firm on our achievements, and let’s create a world where women hold leadership positions based on performance, and live without discrimination, harassment, and violence.”

She further stated that as we celebrate International Women’s Day, everybody must join hands to transform challenges into opportunities and shape a better future for all.