By Mduduzi Hlophe

MBABANE: Colani Hlatjwako, the One Billion Rising Africa Coordinator said women must be empowered so that they can be able to participate in politics and other decision making structures.

Speaking to this Swaziland News, in commemoration of the Mother’s day , the Coordinator said celebrating mothers and the role of women in society should come with empowering and protecting them from any abuse.

“Mothers and women in general should be empowered so that they can be able to participate in elections, we shouldn’t doubt their competence when it comes to positions of power.We should also protect our mothers from abuse and oppression. Mothers always work hard raising their kids but once these children become successful in life some of them abandon their mothers who worked tirelessly so they could have a bright future. We would like to urge every single Swazi out there to celebrate our mothers for their good work”, she said.

Nonhlanhla Dlamini, the Director of the Swaziland Action Group Against Abuse ( SWAGAA ) said mothers work hard in raising their children without expecting to be paid adding that they needed to be celebrated.

“We would like to celebrate all the mothers out there for the excellent role they play in raising their children, they do a lot of household chores without expecting to be paid.We would also like to appreciate those children who have assumed a mother’s role in child headed families and the fathers who are single parents, basically we would like to appreciate everyone who is playing a mother’s role to their children”,said the Director.