INTRODUCTORY /WELCOME SPEECH PRESENTED BY DCNS JOSEPHINE CHIDINMA  ANYANWU, NATIONAL PRESIDENT OF WOMEN IN CHARITY ON THE OCCASION OF CELEBRATING UN AT 70 HELD AT THE UNITED NATIONS INFORMATION CENTER. 17 KINGSWAY ROAD IKOYI.

 October 16, 2015

The Country Director of the United Nations Information center, DG National Institute of International Affairs, National President of ANUNSA, Members of the UN family, and all other protocol dully observed.

I am so delighted to be here today to celebrate UN at 70 because I know that UN has always been at the forefront of everything that has to do with human existence. In line with the global campaign for women’s empowerment and the UN sustainable development goals which advocates respect for the fundamental human rights in particular gender equality and education/food for all which is the basic focus of WIC. I welcome everyone present here today. We are gathered here today to celebrate successful interventions by the UN to ensure peaceful co-existence and secured living for nations of the world in order words also checkmating our involvement as a nation, ngo and individual in actualizing these set goals. 0n 25-27 September 2015 china and UN women co-hosted  the “Global Leaders’ Meeting on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment: A Commitment to Action to adopt Agenda 2030 and its Sustainable Development Goals. President Xi Jinping announced that to support women’s development worldwide and the work of UN Women, China will contribute USD 10 million for the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the realization of the related goals in the post-2015 development agenda. President Xi further said China will support women and girls in other developing countries by providing health care, vocational training, financing for education and other assistance.

In his opening remarks, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon directly addressed the assembled world leaders, saying: “As Heads of State and Government you have the power and the responsibility to ensure that gender equality is—and remains—a national priority.”He continued to outline three areas for action: “First, I urge you to create and energetically implement coherent gender equality policies. Second, provide significant financing for gender equality so that commitments become reality. And third, monitor progress so that all governments will hold themselves and each other accountable for the pledges made here today.”

“The highest leaders in the land are taking personal responsibility for their commitment to gender equality and the empowerment of women,” emphasized UN Under-Secretary-General and UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. “Now the world looks up to them to lead the game-changing actions that secure and sustain implementation. Today we take the first firm steps towards 25 September, 2030.”

As the first world leader to speak at the principal segment, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said: “We need women for peace, we need women for development. This is what we emphasized at this year’s G7 Summit with our commitment to women’s empowerment and initiative to provide vocational training and entrepreneurial opportunities for women in developing countries. … In Germany … we have expanded child care and we finally have a law on women in leadership positions. … We all committed in 1995 to implement the Beijing Platform for Action. Now we are making a new commitment with Sustainable Development Goal 5. Commitments are good. Action is better. Let us take action!” While actions announced will vary, they are expected to align behind a common message: The Sustainable Development Goals cannot be achieved without gender equality. If countries act immediately to translate the goals into action, and close many remaining gaps in implementing the landmark 1995 Beijing Platform for Action, the world could reach gender equality by 2030

Without much talk I make bold to say that all plan of action by as adopted by theglobal leaders conference are exactly what WIC has done and is still doing in line with the goals of the UN hence this celebration today.

In her statement to mark this year’s International Day of Rural Women, UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka says “we have an unparalleled opportunity and commitment to end poverty and hunger, achieve food and nutrition security, and guarantee sustainable livelihoods by investing in rural women and climate-resilient agriculture this statement really excited me as it seems she was just speaking my mind. Women in charity has as part of its core objective to empower rural women through agriculture by replacing chemical fertilizers with organic crop and soil enhancement products. This objective also corroborates the world food day’s celebration theme which is social protection and agriculture which means to zero hunger and today happens to be the world food day, so when we attain zero hunger we will also eradicate poverty which tomorrow is also the international day for the eradication of poverty and that was why I said that am so happy today because celebrating UN at 70 to is just as if the whole of the sustainable development goals are realised in this month through all the UN observance days. According to FAO- food and agriculture organisation, the proportion of malnourished population in Nigeria are as follows:

Proportion of undernourished in total population

2014-16: 7.0 %

Number of people undernourished (millions)

1990-92: 20.8 (millions)

2000-02: 11.2 (millions)

2005-07: 9.3 (millions)

2010-12: 10.2 (millions)

2014-16: 12.9 (millions)

WIC is a non-governmental organization registered with the corporate affairs commission, it was  started by six noble women from the same community known as Ubakala  Umuahia in Abia state 24 years ago as a social meeting but two months later one of the women DCNS Josephine who is now the National President caught the vision to support the orphans and the others accepted and the journey to be guardians of orphans began. The main vision of WIC is to locate, enroll and fund the education of orphans and the less privileged in good educational institutions and to effectively mentor/ coordinate their general wellbeing. WIC also provide support for people living with terminal diseases like HIV/AIDs, TB, and other related diseases through advocacy campaign and empowerment. Annually WIC spend huge amount of money for school fees, boarding fees and other school expenses for our orphaned children. Presently WIC has 65 orphans whose age ranges from 6- 26years sponsored by our chapters, 60% in primary/secondary education, while 40% are in various Universities and Polytechnics in Nigeria and we also have our orphans who through our care have graduated from tertiary institution, some are lawyers, engineers and some are now married.

WIC is happy today because one of our missions is to directly aid the academic and emotional development of our orphans in Nigeria.  provide counseling for the orphans while implementing sustainable development projects. Many of these children are victims of abuse and abandonment due to abuse of widows so by taking up their responsibilities, our basic goal is to help in developing a patriotic citizen who will in turn build a flourishing nation and a peaceful world.  We believe in enabling dreams. Our advocacy activities over the years have led to the reduction of abuse of young widows by their relatives, in-laws and other family members.  You can see that women in charity is committed to this action, we therefore encourage every one to make this commitment.

We need to in our own little way do what we can to help our country Nigeria actualize these 17 sustainable development goals by 2030. Everybody make this commitment, say to yourself am committed to the actualization of  UN sdgs. Thank you for listening