By Tosin Kolade

The StarCrest for Women in Africa Foundation, an NGO, has called on all stakeholders to create mentorship programmes and business opportunities to empower marginalised women and girls in the country.

Its Executive Director, Mrs Esther Omenka, made this call at the EmpowerHer Business Summit with the theme “Woman, You Can’’ on Thursday in Abuja.

Omenka highlighted the foundation’s commitment to women’s empowerment, child welfare, and advocacy for gender equality.

She said that StarCrest was born not out of convenience, but from a burning desire to be architects of change in a world where women’s voices resonated with strength.

According to her, the foundation’s impactful interventions, including vocational skill acquisition programmes and outreach initiatives in IDP camps, are underscored as reflections of their dedication to holistic community well-being.

She said the back-to-school programmes, specifically targeting underprivileged children, were described as promises fulfilled, safeguarding the future of every child, especially the girl child.

“In the corridors of the StarCrest foundation, we don’t just dream; we build; we build bridges of opportunity, fortresses of protection, and ladders of education for those who need it the most.

“Today, as we open the doors to this business summit, we open doors to possibilities, to collaborations, and to a future where the resilient African woman, the empowered girl child, and the dynamic youth stand at the forefront of progress,’’ she said.

Omenka expressed gratitude to all those who had been part of the foundation’s remarkable journey, calling for partnership in the ongoing mission of empowerment.

Earlier, the Programme Coordinator, Sarah Toluwase, highlighted the organisation’s dedication to fostering an environment where African women could thrive.

Toluwase acknowledged Africa’s abundance of potential, innovation, and talent, while recognising the barriers that hindered the full realisation of women’s potential in the business world.

She said the summit served as a crucial platform to address the challenges, amplify women’s voices, and create actionable strategies promoting inclusivity, diversity, and equality.

According to her, throughout the event, attendees will engage with inspiring keynote speakers, thought leaders, and visionaries who have shattered glass ceilings in their respective fields.

Mr Zubairu Abdullahi, Director, Special  Duties, Federal Ministry of Education, said women empowerment benefited society by promoting equality, diversity, and inclusivity.

He said when women had equal opportunities in education and employment, it led to a more balanced and dynamic society.

Abdullahi said empowering women aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) like gender equality, quality education, and reduced poverty, fostering a more sustainable and equitable world.

He added that it helped in unleashing the full potential of half the population, contributing to social, economic, and environmental progress.

Abdullahi, however, pledged his ministry’s commitment to continue to support organisations that promoted the rights and interests of women and girls. (NAN) www.nannews.ng

Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo

By Obinna Unaeze

In a significant move to expedite justice for victims of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), the Niger State Government has initiated plans to set up family courts.

Hajiya Hadiza Shiru, the Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, revealed that the establishment of these courts aims to streamline the legal process for SGBV cases in the state.

She spoke during a free medical outreach organised by the ministry in collaboration with the state office of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

Shiru highlighted the importance of addressing obstacles like stigmatisation that deter victims from reporting cases.

She emphasised the directive from the Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, to provide full protection for victims and establish family courts where stakeholders can freely speak out.

The collaboration between the Ministry of Women Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, and the Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) is underway to fast-track the establishment of these family courts.

Shiru expressed optimism that, by 2024, the courts would be fully operational in the state.

According to her, Niger State already has existing laws, including the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) law and the Child Right law, aimed at protecting women and children from violence.

Shiru reported that despite these laws, there have been numerous cases of child abuse, defilement, and gender-based violence in the state.

The State Coordinator of NHRC, Dr Nuhu Mohammed, highlighted the significance of the 16-day activism against GBV, running from Nov. 25 to Dec. 10.

The 2023 theme, “Invest to Prevent Violence Against Women and Children,” underscores the importance of financing various prevention strategies to end violence against women and girls.

In Niger State, with over 1,700 reported cases of GBV this year, efforts are being made to secure justice for victims, with 20 prosecutions already initiated.

The proactive approach taken by the government signals a commitment to combating SGBV and ensuring a safer environment for all citizens. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Dorcas Jonah/Isaac Ukpoju

By Justina Auta

A coalition of gender groups on Thursday commenced a hashtag campaign advocating for the reintroduction of the five gender bills that were rejected by the 9th National Assembly to further safeguard rights of women and vulnerable groups.

The group, #constitutionwomenwants, led by Women Advocates Research and Documentation (WARDC), supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Palladium, launched the advocacy campaign and hashtag in Abuja.

The advocacy campaign and hashtag is for a series of online and offline activities, including social media campaigns, to draw more attention on the need to reintroduce the five rejected gender bills.

Dr Abiola Akiyode- Afolabi, the Founder and Executive Director, WARDC, said: “Women’s leadership and political participation are crucial for advancing gender equality and inclusive governance.

“The movement is growing and people are getting more involved and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives has been speaking about the gender bills, so we hope that we will be able to maintain that relationship and convince members of parliament.

“We have two assignments at this event, one is to hashtag campaign #afgirmativeaction and #reconsider5genderbills, and the second is to relaunch the signature campaign on the gender bills which was started earlier.”

Afolabi explained that the campaign seeks to raise one million signatures across the country supporting the reconsideration of the five gender bills.

She added that the campaign would ignite public discourse through the hashtags and signature campaign launch, targeting stakeholders, including political leaders, legislators, women in politics and the general public.

Rep. Benjamin Kali, the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, said the campaign was a better strategy that the women are adopting in current review for the 10th assembly.

Kalu, represented by Katu Simon, his Special Assistant on Strategy and Programme Development, said: “I think that the five bills need more enlightenment to their purpose.

“Quite a number of people, even some of the legislators, didn’t get to understand them until it got to the floor of the House.

“So I think if there’s anything that should be done now and should be done better, is the aspect of educating not just the legislatures but people within the country to understand the value of these bills.”

Ene Obi, former Country Director, ActionAid, while highlighting the efforts made during the Occupy National Assembly campaign on the five gender bills, observed the role of the media in promoting the campaign.

“The media was with us throughout the four weeks of occupation, they were there and they gave all the prominence; it was a battle.

“One thing we need to note is that in many conversations with the members of the National Assembly, they asked what we did before.

“We did a lot of things but it was not enough before the bills were presented. Now we are going to make another presentation of the bills, we need to do more.We need to do a lot of sensitisation.

“Through WARDC work and the coalition, we are trying to gather signatories and that is why we have the launch today and we want to work together.”

“I am calling on all women to let them know that when women and girls go out again to occupy the National Assembly and even the presentation of the bills in all houses of the National Assembly, you should get up to do something.

“The bills we are talking about is not just about women but about humanity so it’s about human rights, social justice and sonwe ate hoping that we will do better,” she said.

The campaign aims to ignite public discourse through the hashtags and signature campaign launch.

Targeting various stakeholders, including political leaders, legislators, women in politics and the general public.

The occupy National Assembly campaign is an advocacy towards the representation of women at all levels of governance which the group said is abysmally poor.

The coalition consists of WARDC, Womanifesto, National Coalition on Affirmative Action, (NCAA), Gender and Constitution Reform Network, (GCRN), SAGE and Gender Mobile.

They noted that in the executive, no female President, Vice-President or Governor has ever been elected.

They said the situation is similar in the legislature, as only about 13 out of 360 seats in the House of Representatives, and eight out of 109 seats in the Senate, were held by women among many other concerns.

The gender bills include the Bill to provide special seats for women at National Assembly, affirmative action for women in political party administration – 35 per cent of executive positions.

Another is the bill seeking to grant citizenship to foreign-born husbands of a Nigerian woman. Already, a Nigerian man’s foreign-born wife is automatically a Nigerian citizen. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

By Justina Auta

The Gender and Election Watch Room (GEW) of the Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF) has called on political parties to prioritise and enhance women’s involvement in politics.

Ms. Brenda Anugwom, the CEO of GEW at NWTF, conveyed this message in a post-election statement and aftermath of the off-cycle governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi in Abuja.

The organisation, with 50 accredited observers deployed across the eight Local Government Areas of Bayelsa, closely examined the elections from a gender perspective.

Despite the peaceful and timely conduct of the polls, Anugwom highlighted a noticeable low turnout among both male and female voters.

She expressed concern over voters’ reluctance to participate, citing a lack of trust in the system and fears for their safety as contributing factors.

Anugwom emphasised the need for stakeholders to educate the public on the importance of increased female participation in the electoral process.

The CEO strongly condemned any intimidation of election observers, stressing that such actions contradict democratic principles and should cease immediately.

“Political Parties should create an enabling environment for increased female participation,  and women should build capacity and aspire to participate in politics.

“Nigeria cannot achieve inclusive democracy without female participation.

“The intimidation of any observer in an election is not consistent with democratic values and should henceforth stop,” she said.

In addition, she recommended that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) invoke the new electoral law to address issues related to vote buying and selling.

Anugwom called for the apprehension and prosecution of offenders to strengthen the electoral system.

Furthermore, Anugwom called on security agencies to play a crucial role in maintaining peace, remaining neutral, and safeguarding the lives of Nigerians during any election process.

The NWTF’s Gender and Election Watch Room continues to advocate for a more inclusive and equitable political landscape in Nigeria. (NAN)

www.nannews.ng

Edited by Kadiri Abdulrahman/Ali Baba-Inuwa