From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Ahead of the 2023 general elections, women under the aegis of the Nigerian Association of Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (Business Women Group) (NAWORG), has asked political parties to implement the 35 per cent affirmative action as they would not settle for less.
This was contained in a speech delivered by NAWORG National President, Aisha Abubakar, during a workshop titled: “The position and responsibility of women in the chamber movement” and induction of its executives and state coordinators in Lagos.
The event was attended by the National President of NACCIMA, John Udeagbala; second Vice President, Jani Ibrahim; first female President, Iyalode Alaba-Lawson; NAWORG former national Vice Chairperson, Flora Takim-Ndifon; member of induction planning committee, Abiola Olushola; President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce, industry, Mines and Agriculture, Asiwaju Dr. Michael Olawale-Cole and Head (Gender Department) and Deputy Director (Enterprise Women Centre) in Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos, Nneka Okekearu.
Abubakar said, “Gender equality remains a major issue despite its relevance, both as a human right and and as a catalyst for economic growth. This is why closing the gender gap is a central part of any strategy to create more sustainable and inclusive economies and societies.
“Recent efforts have led to important gains in women’s education and employment outcomes in Nigeria. However, women still reman severely under-represented in key, growth enhancing fields of education, business and government.
“First and foremost, we have to go on advocacy campaign for the gender equality Bill for it to be passed and we have to do for the individual for the domestication because it is one thing to pass the Bill, it is another thing to domesticate the Bill for the policy and it is a work in process.
“So we have to start at the national level and then we go to the sub national and then we go on, we are going to work at it.”
According to her, women should be taken along in the formulation of national policies and decisions which impact on them and the citizenry.
“We are demanding for us to be put at the table when the decisions are being made; for us to be put at the table when policies are being made, especially the ones that affects children and women; and for us to be put at the table when decisions about the economy is being made because we are part of the economy.
“We are also part of everything that is going on, so we just need to be there whether it is fiscal, monetary, whether it is security issues, education or health, whatever it is, we need to be there to put our voices.
“We understand, we are the ones who carry the burden and backlash of all of these. So we should be there to guide and to say what the situation is.”
Abubakar also called on government “to ensure that all our monetary and fiscal policies and everything align to sustain the value of the Naira.
“So, we just have to sure that our policies align to create that stability that we need in our country.”
She also spoke on the increase in the prices of goods and services and inflation in the country.
“Well, it is a challenging time not only for Nigeria, it is a challenging time for everyone, for every woman all over the world, what we must continue to do is to stay together, watch out for each other and then continue to say what we need and to seek the support that w need to get to where we need to go.
“We must not give up. When we have a challenge that means we have already identified where the problem is, so we must always find ways.
“We must talk to the relevant agencies, we will talk to the relevant people in the private sector, whoever we able to talk to we will continue to talk and engage for us to be able to create that environment to make it easier for women to work,” she added.