Intl Widows Day: FG moves to address plight of widows

*Renames women Center after Mariam Babangida

In preparation for the commemoration of this year’s International Widows Day, (IWD), the federal government has tasked all partners to take proactive steps towards giving support to widows.

Permanent Secretary, of the ministry, Monilola Udoh made the call at a media briefing, yesterday in Abuja..

She said “Without doubt, you will agree with me that Widows equally contribute immensely to our society’s economy and therefore deserve all the support required to better their lots. The Ministry is aware of the rising number on young widows in Nigeria and is calling for partners support to provide widows data-based nationwide and socio-economic empowerment programmes.”

The 2023 IWD has the theme: ‘Innovation and Technology gender equality’ which emphasizes technological knowledge as being important for anyone hoping to grab the best of the opportunities in today’s world.

Udoh said the hope of the United Nations which brought out the theme, is seeking to help widows to realize the fact that technological knowledge is an underlying success at grabbing opportunities that are available in the world today.

“The theme emphasizes the dire economic and social potentials of digital literacy for women.” She points.

A major highlight of the 2023 IWD briefing is the disclosure by the Permanent Secretary, of the change of name for the National Centre for Women Development, (NCWD), the only parastatal under her ministry, to Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development as passed by the Senate on 29th March, 2023; while the House of Representatives passed same on the 5th of April, 2023.

Udoh revealed that this renaming is in line with the amendment of the National Centre for Women Development Act, Cap. N15, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to enhance the functions of the Centre and rename.

“Maryam Babangida is someone that Nigerian women will not forget her, and we are doing this to encourage other women leaders to emulate her virtues, commitment and support to women,” the permanent secretary said.

Appealed to development partners to lend a helping hand, she notes further “support to provide widows data-based nationwide and socio-economic empowerment programmes.” This, she said is necessary, in view of rising number of young widows.