Int’l Women’s Day: Women Charged to Give Their Best Attention to Raising Children

As the world marked International Women’s Day, women have been advised to devote their utmost attention to raising their children in order to reap the benefits of good upbringing when the children grow older.

This message was shared by discussants during a Zoom meeting held to celebrate the 2026 International Women’s Day programme themed “Give to Gain,” with the sub-theme “Navigating the Pain of Career and Home to Stand Out in Society.” The event was organised by Adebukola Okuneye of Elegant Events.

The virtual programme featured two discussants—one based in Nigeria and the other abroad—who spoke on how women can become better mothers at home while also taking leading roles in society.

One of the speakers, Councillor Yinka Adeniran, the first Black woman elected into the council and the current Deputy Mayoress in Portsmouth, United Kingdom, urged women to strive for independence by becoming valuable assets to their homes and remaining focused and driven.

She also emphasised the importance of paying close attention to raising children, noting that a well-raised child becomes a source of pride and reward for the mother in the future, while children raised in neglect or excessive indulgence may become a source of regret.

Another speaker, Mrs Abidemi Adeyemi, Director of Administration and Personnel at the Ogun State Property and Investment Corporation (OPIC) and Chief Operating Officer of Tammys Event, observed that children differ in temperament and therefore require different approaches to upbringing. She noted that mothers must be ready to make sacrifices in raising them.

According to her, mothers may sometimes need to plead, counsel, encourage, discipline, or pray for their children in order to guide them properly and raise responsible members of society. She added that giving and sacrifice should be natural virtues for women.

In her remarks, the host, Adebukola Okuneye, encouraged women to make 2026 a year of greater giving, urging collaboration and mutual support among women.

Participants from different parts of the world—including Nigeria, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada—described the event as an eye-opening and impactful experience.