President Condé defends Guinean women's cause on International Women’s Day
Conakry, Guinea (PANA) – President Alpha Condé said here Friday women’s liberation and emancipation emanates from their economic independence.
Speaking to thousands of women from all walks of life at the Palace of the People (Parliament) to observe International Women’s Day, President Condé said as long as women did not have their economic independence, one could not say they fully enjoyed all their rights.
“Our battle is to give women their autonomy, as an autonomous woman will not accept to marry their 14- year-old daughter and that she is victim of sexual violence,” he said.
President Condé pledged to support women to fight against these phenomena, promising to assist women’s groups engaged in market gardening culture and craft industry, among other sectors.
He announced the opening soon in Guinea of an investment bank in view to enable Guinean women to have easy access to loans, as they are not very often able to provide the requisite documents demanded by the banks.
In line with the United Nations global theme for the Day: ‘’Thinking Fairly, Building Intelligently, and Innovating for Change”, the Guinean government chose the theme: “Women’s Automation in Guinea: From 2010 to Date”.
President Conde congratulated the women who attended the ceremony in their numbers and dressed in unique uniforms called “sobi” in Soussou language, the most spoken dialect in lower Guinea or maritime Guinea, saying he was pleased and proud to see them dressed in traditional uniforms.
As a result, he warned traders against continuing importing clothing from abroad.
“I warn businessmen, we’ll send inspectors in all the markets of the country.”
Mrs Mariama Sylla, minister of Social Action, Female Promotion and Children, said that women’s recognition had become a reality since the arrival of President Condé in power in 2010.
“It is reported that from 1958 to 2010, the volume of funds granted to women reached about 10 billion Guinean Francs, as from 2011 to 2018, more than 100 billion Guinean franc, as revolving credit, through micro-financial institutions, have been granted to women,” she said.
According to her, the ministry of social action, on the occasion of the Day, has offered the opportunity to create growth through the promotion of textile, increased the turnover of dyer women, which rose from 100 million Guinean Francs to 2 billion Guinean Francs from 2010 to 2018.
In terms of access to health care, the minister said that free emergency obstetrical care, including caesarian, contributed to the reduction in maternal mortality, which dropped from 980 to 550 deaths per 100,000 births.
-0- PANA AC/BEH/MSA/RA 8Mar2019
