New Telegraph

IWD: Women seek end to genderbased violence

This year’s celebration was an opportunity for women around the world to raise their voices and make a choice to challenge existing discriminatory structures, policies and programmes deemed discriminatory against the female folks.

 

 

It was specially targeted at advancing the fight against Gender Based Violence (GBV) that increased at an alarming rate during the heat of the covid19 pandemic lockdown. Director General, Nationbal Center for Women Development, Mary Ekpere-Eta, said the theme of the celebration was” Women in Leadership: Achieving an Equal Future in a COVID19 World while the global campaign theme was “Choose to Challenge.”

 

Ekpete- Eta explained that the celebration provides a good opportunity to call out gender bias and inequality, seek out and accelerate women’s achievement and advocate for women’s _ increased participation in development and decision making.

 

According to her, the theme resonates the leadership roles women played in the face of the pandemic.

 

“Despite the challenges they faced inclusive of how women’s representation was affected negatively all over the world, other prevailing situation of women, that represent the face of poverty in addition to Gender Based Violence, all the challenges can be changed, as they are manmade,” she said

 

The Women Development Centre, Ekpere-Eta said has chosen to challenge the ever increasing Sexual/Gender Based Violence in all forms; Physical, sexual, emotional, economic and psychological violence through its Gender Based Violence Dashboard, to ensure documentation of GBV issues and track its incidences in the country.

 

“This year’s theme also serves as a reminder of the need for us to highlight the burden of covid 19 on women’s livelihood and how women led countries showed great leadership in tackling the pandemic that became best practices across the world for others to follow.

 

“In responding to the issues of achieving equal future in a COVID-19 world and reducing the plight of pandemic on Nigerian women, recognizing that economic empowerment is the bedrock of women’s development, the National Centre for Women Development through the Federal Government of Nigeria Post Covid 19 programme has empowered over 7000 women and youths with various skills and equipment and also trained over 2000 women and girls in skills hitherto regarded as male preserves such as masonry, tiling,

 

Plaster of Paris, Refrigerator and air condition repairs, generator repairs, handset and computer repairs efc. We choose to #challenge the existing statuesque in the construction industry to ensure that barriers are broken and women take their own portion in the sector,” she said.

 

Ekpere-Eta expressed dismay that representation of Women at both elective and appointive positions has continued to deteriorate in Nigeria due to certain factors including patriarchy, political violence and insurgency. She also lamented that the continuous violence before and after elections has plummeted the number of women casting their votes. “In the past it is believed that more women than men turn out to vote.

 

However, available statistics have shown that in 2019 the total number of registered voters by Gender was 84,004,084, out of which 53% (44.4m) were male and 47%(39.6m) were female of the total number, only 26,348,429 were accredited for voting that is about 32% of the total registered voters and of this number only 11,897,180 women voted. Negating the claim that more women voted than men in the 2019 general election.

 

“The question then arises that if women do not vote and use their civil rights effectively, how can they expect to be elected or occupy political or appointive positions in decision making.

 

We therefore choose to challenge women’s non participation. How can they use their civic rights and responsibility to the best of their advantage in Nigeria like  the just concluded 2020 Presidential elections in the United States of America, where women came out in their large numbers to campaign and vote in support of their choice candidates so as to change legislations that are not gender sensitive.

 

“It is in recognition of the mandate of the National Centre for Women Development, to raise the levels of consciousness of Nigeria Women to higher levels for participation in National Development, that the Centre is commemorating the 2021 International Women’s Day with a grassroot project themed: “Promoting Women’s Leadership in Nigeria through Popular Mobilization of Women in Carrying out their Civic Responsibilities.

 

This is to ensure sustainable grass root democracy and good governance, it is imperative that women are given fair, equal and unrestricted access to participate in elections and political decision-making from the grass roof.

 

The Centre is Mobilizing women and young girls in Nigeria especially at the grassroot level on the need for them to know the power of their civil rights and use of their one vote to empower women and put them in decision making positions for women’s empowerment and gender equity in decision making and good governance through media publicity and sensitization,” she said.

 

In a goodwill message on the occasion, Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen said the ministry will institute an Annual Forum to celebrate women living and dead to bring  their struggles and achievements to limelight.

 

 

Tallen also advocated for a special month in the Nigerian Calendar to dedicate as Nigerian Women History Month. She said the modalities will be worked out and structures put in place to move these initiatives beyond just talk.

 

“We should not wait until moments such as death before we stop to recognize our various qualities and values.

 

“In all of this, Data is key. Without Data, we cannot talk of milestones; our planning processes will be defective, our policy goal will be defeated, and our implementation level will become immeasurable as we will lack facts to work with. This is why, I am happy to announce that the recently launched Situation Data Room supported by UNDP and Population Council is improving the quality of Data on Gender-Based Violence in the country.

 

“In this regard, we shall redirect our attention to increased Data Generation and Management in achieving an equal future in a COVID19 World.” Tallen said. Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq expressed committment to ensuring that women are included in top leadership roles.

 

According to her, ensuring the inclusion of women in leadership roles was necessary to close the gender gap. She urged women to play exemplary roles to the younger ones and support one another in order to secure the future for women.

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