The International Women’s Day was celebrated here in Qatar on Friday, March 4, 2022 at Skills Development Center, New Salata in Doha. It brought together 90 women leaders from 11 countries such as the Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Nigeria, Uganda, Ghana, Kenya, India, Nepal, Philippines, and Spain.
The event was organized by Bayanihan ng Manggagawa sa Konstruksyon ng Qatar (Association of Construction Workers in Qatar) – Women (BMKQW) and Kenyan Household Service Workers’ Association (KHSWA) in cooperation with the Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI), and hosted by Mr. Babu Rajan, the President of Indian Cultural Center. This is the third time BMKQ spearheaded an event on the occasion of IWD through the initiative of BMKQ Women.
Under the event's theme “A Get Together of Women Leaders; Be Inspired, Be Engaged, Women Empowered” together with BWI global campaign “WE BUILD A GENDER EQUAL FUTURE”,the celebration was a combination of face-to-face and online (via Zoom) platform, and was hosted and moderated by Liza Ramirez, Mygle Gabi from BMKQ Women Philippine community, Fatma Hassan from Tanzanian community and Shweta Koshty from the Indian community.
In her opening remarks, Margaret Kabue, Leader of Kenyan Household Service Workers Association (UHSWA), placed the celebration in context, saying, “as all of us know, when women face challenges or difficulties, we do not give up. We do not complain. We do not put blame; in short, we just find solutions and in order to be women empowered we must love our selves. While Myla “Mags” Laja BMKQ Women Program Coordinator shared the objectives in her introduction to the program that being inspired and be more engaged towards genuine empowerment of women, this will push further our commitments as individuals and as a collective in building a gender-equal future, and the key is the participation and leadership of women in the social economic and political arena. When we are being sidelined, we create our own table, we create opportunities for women empowerment.
Ms. Rita Schiavi, chairperson of BWI International Women’s Committee delivered and inspirational message while Poala Cammilli, BWI Global Campaigns Director, Elizabeth Tang, General Secretary of International Domestic Workers Federation shared their messages of solidarity on the occasion. Whereas Nuria Berrenger from the International Transport Federation graced the event and personally shared her message of solidarity with all women leaders.
Aside from the inspirational solidarity messages the event was also highlighted with a showcase of traditional dances, traditional foods, and poster making “Artworks” portraying commitments to “Build a Gender Equal Future” participated by different national communities. The traditional dance award, a top recognition for the fundamentals went to Bangladesh and Indian while the poster making award goes to the Philippines.
The event ended with a closing remark from Engr. Meliza Ortiguerra, President of Bayanihan ng Manggagawa sa Konstruksyon ng Qatar (BMKQ).
BMKQ Women Program Coordinator Myla “Mags” Laja, commended each participant from eleven countries, from different nationalities of women migrant workers from different sectors of Qatar. This year’s theme has its focus on building a gender-equal future, it means women empowerment, equal rights, opportunities and responsibilities for all women regardless of color, race and social status. Being inspired and engaged to get a better chance to explore the horizon of endless possibilities that provides the freedom to whatever we wanted to be as women empowered.
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