CSW68: Nigeria to integrate gender perspective in investment – Ministe
CSW68: Nigeria to integrate gender perspective in investment – Ministe
By Justina Auta
Mrs Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, Minister of Women Affairs, says Nigeria will integrate gender perspective into all investments, programmes and planning for the attainment of gender equality and women empowerment.
Kennedy-Ohanenye, represented by Mrs Funke Oladipo, the ministry’s Director on Women Development stated this during the National stakeholders’ debriefing session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women 68th (CSW68), on Thursday in Abuja.
According to her, the session held in March at New York also recognised the need to invest and scale-up activities on women and girls to eliminate all forms of discrimination, violence and promote their rights and participation.
“We expect our partners to see how their various sectors can integrate and accelerate investment and scale-up activities to work more for the attainment of gender equality and women empowerment,” she said.
The minister also stressed the need for disaggregated data on gender to reveal inequalities and deprivation needs of women and girls for better planning and implementation of programmes.
“On gender responsive programming, before you do your programme, how responsive to the needs of women and girls are they?
“Those are the things we want to fine-tune and work out a plan for Nigeria to do it better so that before next year we can record success,” she said.
Speaking on women’s representation in politics, the minister said: ‘we had an election last year and less women were successful.
“So in a way the number of people in elective positions went down. So in that area, we have not made progress.
“But there are some other progresses like currently; the present administration has appointed more women into positions compared to the last administration.
“Also, in the area of investments for women, this administration is also trying its best to ensure that more money goes into women empowerment programmes,” she said.
Ms Beatrice Eyong, UN Women Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, stressed the need to translate the global commitments into actions at the national, sub-national, and local levels to create an equitable, inclusive, and just Nigeria.
Eyong said that the CSW68 highlighted the need for social protection systems, access to public services, and sustainable infrastructure tailored to the needs of women and girls in achieving the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
She added that it also underscored the urgency of addressing systemic barriers that hindered women’s full participation in economic, social, and political spheres.
“I call on all stakeholders to take proactive steps in actualising the recommendations of CSW68 into concrete action for all women and girls in Nigeria.
“Let us invest in social protection systems that reach the most vulnerable women and girls.
“Let us ensure that all girls have access to quality education and that women have equal opportunities in the workforce.
“Let us strengthen institutions to promote women’s leadership and participation in decision-making at all levels.
“And let us ensure adequate financing for gender equality initiatives and bring the Global to the Local,” she said.
She, therefore, reiterated the commitment of the UN Women, and the entire United Nations system in Nigeria, to accelerate progress and achieve the transformative change envisioned in the 2030 Agenda for SDGs in Nigeria. (NAN)
Edited by Abiemwense Moru
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