BY BETELHEM BEDLU
ADDIS ABABA- “Those of you – members of Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) – have made courageous and bravery acts on battlefields, we are honored and thankful.”
President Shale-work Zewdie uttered the above remark while addressing participants during this year’s international women’s day celebration that was held yesterday under the theme: “Nation’s peace will be ensured with heroines’ struggle and sacrifice.”
During the celebration, the president lauded heroines for the triumph and sacrificed they made on battlefields to safeguard the sovereignty of the nation.
Furthermore, she emphasized that since the contribution that female soldiers made is undeniable, female soldiers should be honored.
“It goes without saying that the difficulties that women soldiers are faced with in the battlefields are hard to bear. Aside from what they go through in those battles, women are supposed to handle the challenge that comes with their nature.It is with their endurance of the double hardship they face that they strive to sustain their nation”, she underscored.
Owing to this fact, the president underlined that everyone is obliged to give them the necessary respect to female soldiers. Comparing with the hurdles that they had encountered, the day should not only mark the celebration but must give recognition to the role that women play in ensuring peace and security in the nation, as to her.
She went on saying: “As much as they are the ones who shoulders misery that are brought by conflicts, women have ideas, the skill to bring sound solutions to the table, as well as they are gifted with the ability of bringing different parties to reconciliation and negotiation. Thus, rooms should be open to wisely utilize their best abilities.”
Besides assigning women to leadership positions, engaging women and the society on issues regarding peace and security would help nation to go a long journey, she noted.
At the event that was organized by the ENDF at Military Officers’ Club, female soldiers were granted with a recognition certificate in the attendance of high level government officials and senior military officers.
Meanwhile, Ethio telecom have handed over women’s sanitary materials for Empress Menen Girls’ Boarding Secondary School Students and awarded tablets for top ten outstanding students who have scored better results in the first semester.
The women sanitary materials that was granted for the school as part of the International Women’s Day celebration is said to be used for a year, it was learnt.
The March 9/2022
