- Mrs Funmi Falana, (4th from right) with members of the African Women Lawyers Association, AWLA recently in one of WELA’s activities
Women Empowerment and Legal Aid (WELA), has reiterated that everyone has a role to play in promoting human rights and ending harmful practices in our society.
This was contained in WELA’s 2023 Program of Activities released by the organization recently.
Women Empowerment and Legal Aid (WELA), a non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting gender equality, defending the rights of the vulnerable, and empowering women and girls in Nigeria, has released its program of events for the year.
The program is aimed at raising awareness and sensitizing people on the importance of respecting human rights and eliminating harmful practices like female genital mutilation and gender-based violence.
In January, WELA commemorated the International Day of Education and advocated for better access to quality education for everyone.
On February 6th, the organization joined the rest of the world to observe the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation. The day was used to raise awareness about the dangers of female genital mutilation and encourage people to speak out against it.
WELA celebrated International Women’s Day on March 8th at its College of Vocational Training, advocating for women’s rights and gender equality. The organization believes that gender equality is essential to achieving sustainable development and ending poverty.
In June, WELA will celebrate its anniversary and use the occasion to reflect on its achievements and recommit to its goals. On June 12th, the organization will also join the world in observing World Day Against Child Labour and continue to advocate for the elimination of all forms of child labour.
WELA will use July 30th, World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, to draw attention to the plight of victims of trafficking and advocate for their rights. On August 19, World Humanitarian Day, the organization will recognize the efforts of humanitarian workers and the need to support them in their work.
September 5th, the International Day of Charity, will be an opportunity for WELA to appeal to people’s charitable spirit and encourage them to support its cause. The organization believes that everyone has a role to play in promoting human rights and ending harmful practices like child labour and trafficking.
On October 11th, WELA will join the rest of the world to observe the International Day of the Girl Child and continue to advocate for gender equality and access to education for girls.
The organization will also commemorate the International Day for Tolerance on November 16th and the World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation Abuse and Violence on November 18th.
On November 20th, World Children’s Day, WELA will focus on the rights of children and advocate for the elimination of all forms of violence against them. The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women will be observed on November 25th, and the organization will use the day to raise awareness about violence against women and advocate for their rights.
The year will culminate with the WELA Home Anniversary on December 9th, Human Rights Day on December 10th, and the graduation ceremony of the WELA College of Vocational Training on December 11th. The college provides free training to underprivileged individuals in fields such as fashion design, hairdressing, ICT, photography, and more, equipping them with the skills to become productive members of society.
In addition to these events, WELA hosts a show titled “Know Your Rights” every Monday on social media. The show is aimed at empowering people with knowledge of their fundamental human rights. WELA also makes monthly school visits and quarterly prison visits to sensitize young people on human rights and provide legal assistance to prisoners.
The organization believes that everyone has a role to play in promoting human rights and restraint from harmful practices.
