Planet 50-50 gender equality achievable in Nigeria – NGO
NAN-HG-11
Gender
By Talatu Maiwada
Abuja, Oct. 7, 2016 (NAN) Ms Inimfon Etuk, Founder, `SHE Forum Africa’, a pan-African NGO, says Planet 50-50 gender equality is achievable in Nigeria by 2030.
Etuk told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja that the agenda was realisable because of the political will of President Muhammadu Buhari, national commitment and courageous advocacy.
She explained that agenda seeks to promote gender equality and empowerment of women and girls to foster inclusive and quality education for all.
The `Planet 50-50 by 2030’ was the 2016 theme for International Women’s Day for Gender Equality commemorated on March 8, she said.
“We envisage a world where all women and girls have equal opportunities and rights by 2030.
“And the theme demands government around the world to make national commitments that will close the gap of gender equality.
“One of our objectives at `SHE forum Africa’ is to show case the achievements of women role models and foster a new generation of women in elective leadership positions towards achieving equality,’’ Etuk said.
She said the organisation and other stakeholders were fully involved in ensuring that the gender and equal opportunity bill that suffered a setback in March was revisited in the Senate.
Etuk lauded the Senate for graciously revisiting the bill that had scaled through the second reading.
She said the world was evolving and women must be able to revolve with the times through sharing of experiences, mentoring and empowerment.
“We cannot leave the spaces that we seek to the men or expect that the positions will come to us, we have to be prepared.
“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 towards,’’ she said.
Etuk said there was need to conquer the mindset of the populace, adding that age hold stereotypes had continued to limit the capacity of the woman to arise and aspire.
The founder said the organisation also aims at identifying deserving women while creating the platform for them to showcase their intellect and capacity.
“We are beginning to identify women that we can mobilise and rally support around because this spaces allow us to show case intellect and capacity.
“We will definitely give our support to any deserving woman, both the aspiring and the learning woman,’’ she added. (NAN)
TIM/MST/MST
Edited and controlled by Muhammad Suleiman Tola