Kebetkache Women Development & Resource Centre and her allied community women's organisations are marking the International Women’s Day on 10th, March, 2025, with the theme “Feminist Convergence and Trauma Healing Session’’. The event took place at Osborn La Palm Hotel, Port Harcourt, Rivers State with support from Grassroot International. With its objectives, to amplify women’s voices against the continued destruction of their environment, livelihood sources and lives by the oil pollution from unregulated extractive activities in the region. It is aimed to strengthens women's resilience and builds their leadership capacity to lead local advocacy actions. The marking of the International Women’s Day enhances women organising and mobilisation in the Niger Delta for women’s economic and political empowerment. The convergence promotes the visibility of community women's initiatives to campaign for and hold the government and IOCs accountable for the degradation of the environment in the Niger Delta.
In the Niger Delta, the toll of oil extraction is not measured solely in environmental degradation but also in the deep personal and communal wounds borne by women. For decades, relentless oil spills, gas flaring, and the creeping encroachment of pollution have stripped away the natural resources these women depend on for survival. The rivers, once teeming with life and the source of water for daily needs, now carry toxic remnants of crude oil that poison farmlands and devastate fisheries—cornerstones of local livelihoods. Women, traditionally the primary caregivers and food providers, find their roles increasingly burdened by loss and hardship, as they struggle to secure clean water and cultivate the land that once sustained their communities.
Amid these harsh realities, the feminist convergence and trauma healing session has emerged as a beacon of hope for the Niger Delta Women. This gathering, set against the backdrop of International Women’s Day, is more than a celebration—it is a sacred space where Niger Delta women come together to share their stories, process the collective trauma of environmental and social injustices, and reclaim their agency. Here, the wounds inflicted by years of neglect, economic marginalization, and environmental violence are met with empathy and solidarity. In this convergence, the powerful act of storytelling becomes both a healing ritual and a call for reimagining a future where women’s voices lead the way to sustainable change.
Participants speak of finding solace in each other’s resilience—of connecting through art, dialogue, and the shared determination to heal. The session is a testament to the belief that healing is not linear; it is a journey of coming together, recognizing shared pain, and transforming it into strength. By uniting their diverse experiences—from witnessing oil-polluted rivers to enduring economic exclusion—the women forge a path toward collective empowerment and environmental justice. Their stories resonate with the deep-rooted connection between nature and femininity, reminding us that when women heal, communities can begin to restore the lands they nurture
This year’s celebration of International Women’s Day is a renewed opportunity for us to get women's voices heard and their role recognized in the environmental justice struggle. All of us must join forces with African women to demand for environmental and climate justice if we are to successfully respond to the climate crisis. Focusing on the need to Accelerate Action emphasizes the importance of taking swift and decisive steps to achieve gender equality. It calls for increased momentum and urgency in addressing the systemic barriers that women face, both in personal and professional spheres.
The event featured presentations, poem, dance drama, storytelling amongst others.
Following the conversations on oil resumption in Ogoniland, the women of Ogoni is recommending that the government stop any planned attempt to resume oil activities in Ogoniland. It should rather concentrate on redeeming the ecological disaster in the area, decommissioning aged oil infrastructure, replacing the lost livelihood of the people and securing justice for the countless Ogoni’s waiting for closure.
Demands –
1. Access to Health and Trauma Services:
Niger Delta Women demand the creation of accessible, culturally appropriate healthcare and trauma healing programs that address both physical and mental health impacts from industrial pollution and environmental degradation.
2. Stricter Environmental Protections:
Niger Delta Women demand the immediate implementation and strict enforcement of environmental regulations to prevent toxic spills, air and water pollution, and other harms that directly impact women and community health.
3. Accountability and Reparations:
Women calls for oil companies and governments to be held accountable for environmental destruction and human rights abuses, including fair compensation and reparations for affected communities.
4. Inclusive Decision-Making:
The Niger Delta women insist on women’s meaningful participation in all decision-making processes related to oil extraction and environmental management, ensuring that their voices are heard.
5. Economic Justice and Sustainable Alternatives:
Women request support for transitioning to sustainable, community-led economies by investing in retraining programs, local eco-friendly enterprises, and alternative livelihoods that do not rely on destructive oil extraction.
6. Recognition of Indigenous and Feminist Knowledge:
Women demand that the traditional ecological knowledge and women’s leadership be recognized and integrated into resource management policies, honoring the resilience and long-standing stewardship practices
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