Our Reporter

Panelists at the Ist Kwara Gender Conference have agreed mainstreaming gender inclusion in governance requires institutional and legal reforms as well as deliberate efforts by political leaders to give women a fair chance to contribute their quota to development.

The virtual conference was attended by former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf; Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations Amina Mohammed; Minister of Women Affairs Pauline Tallen; World Bank representatives ECOWAS Parliament and Chair of the Forum of Nigerian First Ladies Erelu Bisi Fayemi.

Others were First Lady of Kwara and Secretary of the First Ladies Forum (Dr) Mrs. Olufolake AbdulRazaq; Sokoto First Lady Mrs. Mairo Tambuwal and Dangote Foundation; among several others.

Welcoming the regional leaders, top gender rights advocates and boardroom gurus to the virtual conference, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq said gender inclusion is key to faster growth that leaves no one behind.

“We set out to offer a strong platform to state and non-state actors alike to discuss domestic, bilateral and multilateral strategies to increase women’s participation in our societies.

“True to that, we are joined at this conference by some of the strongest voices in the clamour for better opportunities for women in Africa.

“Kwara State is actively taking the lead in the campaign for gender inclusion because we are convinced that a society works better and grows faster when no one is denied equal opportunities to succeed. And we have no regret pursuing this noble cause,” he said.

He said the state has also invested a lot in the economic empowerment of women especially through its social investment programmes which prioritise indigent women and commended the Dangote Foundation and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for the recent support that targeted women.

Sirleaf said advocacy for women empowerment should include reforms at various levels, a view shared by World Bank Country Representative for Liberia Khwima Nthara, who said institutions need to undergo reforms to promote gender inclusion and women empowerment.

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Sirleaf called AbdulRazaq a regional leader in promotion of gender inclusion and said other leaders should emulate him.

“You have demonstrated that ensuring parity in leadership positions can be done. You have moved considerably the numbers of women at the leadership level in the civil service and the numbers of female cabinet members are truly to be applauded,” she said.

Tallen said the Federal Government is also putting in place various mechanisms, including striking partnerships with key institutions like the National Assembly, to boost women empowerment.

Nthara said the World Bank is supporting countries and subnational entities with agenda for girls to have access to good education and reproductive health services.

“The World Bank rather is supporting legislative and institutional frameworks that are promoting gender equality and women in empowerment,” he said.

United Nations Women Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS Ms Comfort Lamptey called for increased support for various measures that break all the barriers against women.

ECOWAS Parliament Speaker Sidie Mohamed Tunis said Article 63 of the ECOWAS Treaty called on Member States to formulate policies and development of programmes which enhance women’s economic, social and cultural conditions.

Anna Raas, a representative of the Swedish Embassy explained how the European country has put in place policies that put gender equality at the centre of policymaking.

She said gender equality is not just about equality for women but for also men.

She said one major area that is helpful in driving gender equality is by ensuring the sexual and reproductive rights of women.

Mrs. AbdulRazaq, who co-hosted the conference with the Governor, commended the State Government for the event and recalled steps so far taken in Kwara, including by her office, to promote gender inclusion.

“I trust that we will continue the conversation within and among communities in order to amplify the voice of every girl, listen to the word of every woman and support women in political process,” she said.