Women -- a tool for national development.

The UN has set March 8 2000 as the day to celebrate the International Womens Day and to focus on issues affecting the well-being of women. The day provides opportunity to raise awareness on the situation of women highlight issues that are of critical concern to women advocate for womens rights and elimination of violence against women. To address these issues all SWAAN state branches celebrated the day with an “awareness walk” through major streets in their state capitals displaying placards. Moreover lectures were also conducted which offered these women the opportunity to learn more about the existence of sexual violence. At the end it was acknowledged that there is a need for women to come together and advocate for their rights.