By Steve Chirombo

Dedza, April 1, Mana: District Gender Officer (DGO) for Dedza District Council, Lisnet Dauya, has disclosed that all is set for the district’s International Women’s Day (IWD) commemoration scheduled for Wednesday, April 3, at Kwathu Boutique in the district.

According to Dauya, all preparations and support towards the event’s budget of around K2 million are at an advanced stage and that there will be several activities ranging from solidarity march, motivational talks, interactive sessions among the 125 women brought together under the theme, “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress.”

Said Dauya in an interview: “Let me express my gratitude for the support that has come, and the idea of bringing these women together is good and powerful as it will help us to form connections among Dedza women with different backgrounds.

“We believe a lot of relationships will be formed through this gathering and if we make them long lasting, it means it will be easy for us women in the district to support each other in different areas because well organized groups easily get support and many other opportunities,” she said.

She further stated that through the same gathering, it would be easy for women to influence for change or make decisions in areas such as health and agriculture, among others.

She also said the event will see participation of women from banking, health and agriculture sectors, who will talk to their fellow women who may in turn be able to learn several things and be motivated, eventually bringing in change and transform their households and communities they belong to and the entire district.

“During the day, there will also be cervical cancer screening to women willing to access the services. You know for some time, women have had own reservations on the same but this will provide an opportunity to the women to make informed decisions,” she said.

She however said, as the theme suggests, financial independent and healthier women contribute positively to the development of the country.

Special advisor to the President, who is also health and human rights activist, Martha Kwataine, is expected to grace the occasion.