Women’s Day: Minister harps on women participation in small businesses
NAN-HG-35
Women
Abuja, March 8,2017 (NAN) The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Aisha Alhassan, on Wednesday urged women to overcome restrictions against their participation in cottage, micro and small scale businesses.
Alhassan spoke at a symposium organised to commemorate the 2017 International Women’s Day celebration in Abuja.
The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day celebration is “Women In the changing World of Work: Planet 50:50 by 2030’’.
According to her, women should not be allowed to do traditional vocations such as cleaning, nursing, teaching and cooking.
“We should remember that limiting ourselves will make us continue to lose out in political elected, leadership political positions.
“The consequences are that women would continue to remain poorer, less visible, with less access to resources and productive opportunities than men in all fields,” she said.
Represented by Mrs Phylis Nwokedi, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Alhassan also advised women to articulate workable ways that can be used to achieve a gender equitable society.
The Deputy Country Representative of UN Women, Mrs Adji Ndiaye, urged government to be proactive at the front line to address issues in women participation in politics.
She said it was in the interest of the society that women issues be invested upon.
The Gender and Human Right Programme analyst of UNDP, Mrs Onyinye Ndubuisi, said women’s economic empowerment was essential to sustainable development.
Ndubuisi said that it helps fulfill women’s rights, drive gender equality and improve the lives of individual women.
She said women were being deprived of time for earning income, engaging in entrepreneurship and advance their careers.
“Strengthen governmental capabilities to invest in care infrastructure and offering family leave policies can help better distribute the demands of unpaid care work.
“Valuing unpaid care work can also contribute to challenging gender stereotypes on care responsibilities,” she said.
The Associate Country Director of Oxfam, Mrs Evelyn Mere, said the day was commemorated with rural women and pursuing to improve their livelihood.
“We want to amplify the voices of rural women in land right, increase public finance for Agriculture and climate adaption.
“Others include engaging them in decision making and advocate for favourable policies that will enhance women’s right,” she said.
The permanent secretary who was represented by the Director of Human Resources from the ministry, Mrs Anita Shittu, said the discussion would help to better strategies needed to bridge gaps and disparities.
She however added that women under representation of women in leadership positions needed more attention. (NAN)
OEO/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola