Anenih, Fayemi, others renew calls for gender parity

Former Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Josephine Anenih has lent her voice to the calls for gender parity and inclusion in national affairs.

Speaking at a national women’s dialogue tagged WOMANIFESTO2019: what the Nigerian women want, held in Abuja, Anenih said Nigerians especially women cannot make their voices heard in the face of marginalisation especially in politics and other areas of concern.

Stressing the need to deconstruct what she termed as a “patriarchy” system, the former minister said Nigeria is ranked 118th out of 134 countries in gender equality index and that should not be accepted by women.

She said it is time for Nigerian women to make their voices heard and speak against women domination and other gender-based violations. “Women will get up and fight for a place in the affairs of this country because we are in a war here,” she said.

But the First Lady of Ekiti State, Erelu Bisi Fayemi said there is an urgent need to address issues facing women and the starting point is the coming together of women to put their thoughts and work as a movement with a common target.

She said: “As women, we come together irrespective of our backgrounds and difference to say the same thing and agree”, to enhance national development and the welfare of women.” 

European Union Rule of Law and Anti-corruption Programme representative, Priscilla Ankut stressed the need for women and children to be treated with dignity. The Director General of the National Centre for Women Development, Mary Okpere-Eta, also spoke on the need to improve on the poor outcome of the representation of women in political offices from the 2019 general elections.

The meeting also seeks to honour women heroes both sung and unsung who fought for the rights of Nigerian women.