NAN-HG-10
Gender
By Talatu Maiwada
Abuja, May 25, 2017 (NAN) Ms Inimfon Etuk, the Founder, `SHE Forum Africa’ a pan African NGO, says the organisation seeks gender parity in national development in order to harness skills and empower women in society.
Etuk said this on Thursday in Abuja at the fourth edition of the SHE Forum Africa 2017 conference with the theme: “Evolve or Be Left Behind’’.
According to her, the` SHE FORUM AFRICA’ is a women development, leadership and lifestyle organisation, that represents women, with a mission to amplify personal development opportunities through strategic mentoring and life-long learning.
She said the conference makes reference to the Sustainable Development Goal 5, which targets gender equality and empowerment for all women and girls.
“We believe that for this goal to be achieved, the government and institution must primarily ensure that the needs of women and girls are reflected in their planning and budgeting.
“The UN women have said repeatedly that women have a right to equality in all areas.
“Such rights must be embedded across legal systems, upheld in both laws and legal practices, including proactive measures such as quota, since all areas of life relate to gender equality,” she said.
Etuk said the theme was inspired by the need to refresh the minds of today’s women on what it means to stay vital and relevant in a rapidly changing world.
She noted that the equality that women seek was not a change in gender such that women become men, but a change in attitude toward agenda.
“It is an equality that is better referred to as equity as it applies to equal access to opportunities for education, better health care.
“Instead of laws, policies, gender based stereotypes, social norms and practices that continue to dehumanise women instead of according us the right coverage that we truly deserve,’’ she said
Etuk further stressed the need for all women to make all relevant effort to cut down the roots of gender discrimination where ever they appear.
She said women had a role to play in achieving planet 50-50 gender equality by 2030, which envisaged a world where all women and girls had equal opportunities and rights by 2030.
She said women must take the initiative to address issues of poverty, inequality and violence against women that had continued to inhibit their ability to lead productive lives.
According to Etuk, the world is evolving and women must be able to revolve with the times through sharing of experiences, mentoring and empowerment.
“To achieve planet 50-50 by 2030, we have to continuously mobilise, engage and groom ourselves to be found worthy to access the spaces that we so aspire,’’ she said. (NAN)
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Edited by Ese E. Ekama