Women delegates should focus on gender issues – Maina

Posted by admin Latest Politics, Women Politics Friday, March 28th, 2014

Hajiya Zainab Maina, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, has advised women delegates at the ongoing national conference to work together to project gender mainstreaming in the country.

Maina made this call in an interactive meeting with female delegates and parliamentarians in Abuja on Friday.

She said that there should be unity of purpose to align issues of women and girls into the development processes.

The minister said that their nomination into the conference was an attestation to the confidence Nigerians placed on them

toward contributing positively to the future and development of the country.

“There is continuous under-representation of women in governance either in elective or appointive positions.

“This will continue to pose challenges for the integration of gender equality and women’s human rights issues into national development processes.

“There is need for all female delegates at the conference, inspite of their low numbers to speak with one voice on issues affecting women, children , persons with disabilities, the elderly and other vulnerable groups.”

Maina said that the importance of the conference could not be overemphasised as “there is need for equal representation for the concerns of women.’’

The minister said that it was the desire of the ministry to ensure that at the end of the conference, issues concerning women

and girls were kept in the front burner.

She said that the ministry in partnership with coalition of women organisations was working to improve the capacity of Nigerian women.

“Promoting gender equity, equality and women empowerment is a work in progress, and we shall continue to amplify the issues until our daughters and sons can stand side by side on the same pedestal in Nigeria as equal partners.”

According to her, there can be no true democracy until there is an appreciable number of women in all spheres of life,

including in top decision making positions in Nigeria.

She said that women were desirous to reach their full potential, saying this cannot be realised without a strong commitment to financing gender equality and constitutional reforms.

-Punchwp_posts