The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Dame Pauline Tallen on Thursday, urged relevant stakeholders to collectively support and create enabling environment for women’s active participation in politics and leadership.
Tallen made the call at a two-day awareness and sensitisation programme for stakeholders to support Kogi women’s participation in politics.
The minister, represented by Mrs Victoria Lar, the Assistant Chief Social Welfare Officer (ACSWO) in the ministry, said that the meeting was to create awareness and sensitise the women to full participation in the state governorship election.
She explained that the role of women in politics, governance and in nation building, could not be over-emphasized.
Tallen therefore reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to building a Nigerian Society devoid of gender discrimination.
“We will continue to ask for an environment that guarantees equal access to political, social and economic wealth creation opportunities and placing priority on protecting women’s rights’’, Tallen said.
She noted that the country, being a member of the United Nations (UN), had signed and ratified many international instruments, treaties and conventions that supported women’s development.
“These instruments have always emphasized that member nations put in place all the necessary mechanisms needed to eliminate gender discriminations, ensure equality and human dignity to all; men and women.
“Nigeria as a member of regional and international comity of nations signed on to promoting and ensuring the protection and the participation of women in all facets of life.
“The country also signed on to affirmative action and indeed 30 per cent minimum representation for women in political positions.
“Hence, promoting gender equality is not only seen as a human rights issue, but as a necessity for the achievement of socio-political, economic and a sustainable development by the year 2030’’, the minister said.
She enjoined stakeholders to jointly change the narrative and support women towards building a more inclusive action against discrimination in both political and social spaces.
Earlier, Kogi Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Bolanle Amupitan, said that the ministry had continued to key into all Federal Government’s initiatives geared toward emancipating women from the web of poverty and discrimination.
Amupitan, represented by Mr Suleiman Abdullahi, a Permanent Secretary in the ministry, said that the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, had tried to bridge the gap by appointing women into sensitive positions.
Mrs Christine Warioba, a representative from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), said that the UN was partnering with the ministry of women affairs to promote women’s participation in politics.
She said that the participation of more women in politics and leadership of the country would put them in strategic positions of decision making for good governance.(NAN)