Stakeholders have identified gender-financing as a key setback for advancing the rights and empowerment of women in Nigeria.
Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Gender, Fatima Abubakar-Fatuk, stated this, yesterday, during a forum to mark the International Women’s Day (IWD), with the theme, “Investing in Women, Accelerating Progress,” in Abuja.
She said the President had embarked on initiatives that would address key challenges confronting women by putting in place several initiatives towards implementing gender-responsive financing.
Executive Director, Development Research Project Centre (DRPC), Judith Ann-Walker, who was represented by President, Association of Women in Trade and Agriculture (AWITA), and representative of the Partnership for the Advancement of Women Empowerment Development (PAWED), Ruth Agbo, said that gender equality, access to education for women and girls, digital literacy, among others, remain key challenges that must be addressed.
He said: “DRPC is concerned about Women Economic Empowerment. We have women economic collectives and the concern is to keep advocating for these issues that affect women and national development.”
In her keynote address, Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mariya Mahmud, said: “As we reflect on the significant strides made towards gender-equality and women’s empowerment, we must also acknowledge the persistent barriers and challenges that continue to hinder the full realisation of women’s rights and potential.
Also, Special Assistant to the President on Policy and Coordination, HadizaBala-Usman, represented by Zani Dogo, stressed the need for women to access financial resources that would prioritise investments to enrich their families and communities.
She said: “The importance of gender-responsive financing and gender-equality cannot be overstated in the pursuit of sustainable development.
“Nigerian women stand as indispensable catalysts propelling the growth, progress and sustainable development of our nation.
“Their resilience, resourcefulness and unwavering commitment to excellence serve as the bedrock upon which our collective aspirations for a brighter future are built.”
