Malcolm X said that the most disrespected, unprotected and neglected person in the world is the black woman. This is as true today as when he made this historic comment.

 

For the average black woman, being alive and succeeding at it involves several narrow escapes. Narrow escapes from sexual perverts who are sometimes trusted persons, narrow escapes from death by the hands of loved partners, narrow escapes from a life of oblivion because of the double blow impact of our gender and colour. We live every day on the edge, wondering if we dare to dream and if the dreams will ever come true. For us, there is no Cinderella ending to our story because society refuses to accept and celebrate us. We are therefore forced to either assert ourselves in righteous indignation (and then labelled ‘an angry black woman’) or hideaway in the dark corner where we wallow in self-pity.

 

Even the global advocacy for fundamental women rights, gender equality, women empowerment and poverty eradication have received pushbacks from political, cultural, judicial and military leaders across the globe. In Nigeria in general and Alaigbo in particular, our unrepentant patriarchal society coupled with indescribable corruption have entrenched poverty and disempowered the women folk for decades. Mothers are forced to rent out their adolescent daughters as servants to barely richer relatives in the hope of their child securing better outcomes in life; young girls of school age are forced to hawk all sorts to make ends meet, whilst their contemporaries are receiving education and preparing for a better future; those in school are forced to trade their innocent bodies to mostly old saggy politicians, old enough to father them twice, to raise funds to cater for themselves and bribe lecturers. Everywhere you look, it’s a horrendous story of hopelessness, injustice and wickedness.

 

The Igbo Women Movement Worldwide (IWMW) is determined to address these issues and many more that affect our women from cradle to grave through its Women Unit. We, the women have had enough of a world that unrelentingly limits us in every way possible. We are ready to advocate for ourselves and demand for respect. We want to be equal partakers of the goodness of this life. We do not only want our voices to be heard at every level of the decision-making process, but we also want a seat, in fact, several seats at the decision table.

 

The IWMW-WU is the refuge and welcomes all Igbo women through its doors. We are here to amplify your voices, draw attention, seek solutions and take actions to promote the welfare of Ndigbo. We are here to support the development of Alaigbo, empower our people and build a better society that is free and fair to all regardless of age, gender or status in life.

 

Igbo Women Movement Worldwide (IWMW)