The Nation Newspaper

Tag: women

  • Group urges women, youths to participate in governance

    The Voice of Women and Youth International Foundation (VWYIF) has urged women and youths to participate in governance, nothing they have a critical role to play in nation building.

    The group made the call during the VWYIF conference in Arepo, Ogun State.

    VWYIF National Chairperson Iyalode Alaba Lawson, said women and youths must have the passion to take positions in governance.

    According to her, women and youths must be ready for the new Nigeria.

    “We must have the passion and the will to take this country to the next level. All hands must be on deck. Women are about 68 percent of the Nigerian population and we must stand up and resist injustice,” she said.

    The group had earlier paid a visit to The Nation headquarters in Lagos, where a Board of Trustee (BoT) member, Mrs Ify Okafor, said the country must be free of corruption.

    Mrs Okafor enjoined Nigerians to fulfill their civic obligation and play their roles in building a new Nigeria.

    “We want more women and youth who are competent to be invited to the table of decision making. We seek support and partnership of the media in driving this vision for a prosperous, incorrupt and sustainable Nigeria,” she said.

    Another BoT member, Chief Anita Okuribido, said the group’s goal is to drive inclusion of more women and youths in leadership position.

    “Through organisations like ours, we want the voice of women and youths to be heard, so that there can be more inclusion for them and by so doing, we will have a better Nigeria,” she said.

    At the conference, Head of Unit, Gender Division, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ogun State, Mrs Adeola Osikomaiya, urged women to show interest in governance.

    She said other women must support and encourage those women that go for such positions.

    According to her, gender is not what is needed in leadership position, but intelligence and the ability to contribute positively towards national development.

  • INEC urges fair reportage of women

    Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) National Commissioner, Prof.Antonia Okoosi-Simbine, on Thursday urged the media to enhance democracy through fair reportage on women in politics.

    She said that adequate reporting of activities of women in politics would encourage participation of more women in the governance of the country.

    Okoosi-Simbine made the call in Lokoja at the Training for Journalists and Media Executives on Gender-Sensitive Coverage organised by Centre for Democracy and Development with support from UN Women.

    She said that the media in any political system played a critical role in the political process, and that it would be right for Nigerian media to assist the course of achieving equality for all.
    The national commissioner said that gains for women in one or two areas in politics notwithstanding, campaign of calumny and gender-based invectives in the political space still discouraged their participation.

    “They believe that there is masculine domination of politics to the extent that men hold politics as a cult and pay lip service to women participation since double standards are maintained gender-wise.

    “There is need for vigorous societal public enlightenment for party programmes that support women uplifting, their empowerment and their general acceptance in the public sphere.

    “The equal participation of women and men in all aspects of public life is a key principle of democracy and women’s participation in politics is a major goal.

    “The place of gender equality in democracy cannot be over emphasised,” she said.

    Okoosi-Simbine said that while a reporter might not be directly discriminating against women, it was always important that the media practitioners wore a gender lens while reporting.

    She said that women constituted 48 per cent of Nigeria’s voting population, but occupied only 5.8 per cent of the political offices in the country, and that this could be attributed to media reporting slants.

    According to her, this was the case in 2015 when only eight female senators and 20 House of Representatives members were elected while only six females were elected as deputy governors.

    Okoosi-Simbine said that the issues called for general societal public enlightenment to underscore that chauvinist and sexist views were politically incorrect.

    Mr James Bigila, a representative of the United Nations Women, Nigeria, said that the media in the country and globally, were an important catalyst towards achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment.

    Bigila said that this was because the media could take gender issues out of the private realm and put them on the political agenda.

    “As you all are aware, women are under-represented in Nigeria’s political space, and Nigeria has the lowest rate of women members of parliament in Africa.

    “Consequently, special measures are required, over a period of time, to close the gap since the playing field for political contest is not level and women are most affected by this,” he said.

  • US holds drone tech workshop for women, pupils

    The United States Consulate- General, Lagos, held a two-day drone technology workshop for students and women STEM leaders in collaboration with Baltimore-based Global Air Media.

    The training, which held at the Cedar STEM & Entrepreneurship Hub, and American Corner at Co-Creation Hub (CCHUB), both in Yaba, Lagos, saw a team of three drone experts led by Global Air Media co-founder Eno Umoh facilitating the series of workshops.

    Thirty elementary and high school pupils were coached on the basics of building a drone from the scratch, as well as the requisite skills for piloting and landing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

    In addition to the seminar which the pupils participated in, 13 women STEM leaders were mentored on the evolving technology needs of the 21st century, particularly in the fields of real estate and construction, cinematography, as well as humanitarian and emergency response.

    Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Consulate Lagos, Ms. Darcy Zotter, explained that the hands-on workshop was designed to stimulate the interest of the participating students in math and science, as well as careers in the STEM fields.

    “STEM enables us to find solutions to some of the most pressing issues of today such as alternative energy or even food security. Creating inventions to solve global challenges can be a catalyst for a country’s economic development,” Zotter said.

    According to her, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria has funded a number of projects to increase STEM education in different parts of the country.  Whether at home or abroad, she added, promoting STEM education is a top priority of the U.S. government.

    “Last March, we hosted a 16-member delegation of senior women technology executives and professionals from Silicon Valley, California. The visiting delegation held a mentoring program for over 70 Nigerian female STEM leaders.

    “In December 2017, we funded the establishment of a technology hub in Lagos designed to host training and mentoring sessions for persons living with disabilities in various technology-based skills. We also hosted RoboRAVE, a robotics education program in Lagos and Abeokuta in October 2017,” she explained.

     

  • FIIRO trains women, youths in fish export

    To address the unemployment, youths and women across the  country are undergoing training at the Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIIRO) on fish smoking technology aimed at equipping them for export of dry fish.

    Speaking during the opening of the  workshop on ‘Fish Smoking Technology’ (Batch B) in Lagos, FIIRO Director-General/CEO, Prof Gloria Elemo,  disclosed that at the end of the training, participants would have armed themselves with the requisite knowledge to produce high quality smoked fish for the local and foreign market.

    Elemo noted that unemployment should have no room considering the great potential and abundant human/natural resources available in the country.

    She pointed out that FIIRO will soon start implementing its various job creating strategies in collaboration with some other agencies aimed at reducing unemployment to the barest minimum in the country.

    “One of such programmes is the national Techno-entrepreneurship Development Initiative, an initiative designed by FIIRO with the support of the Federal Government of Nigeria,” she said. According to her, this initiative has the capacity to train two million unemployed youths and women annually at full implementation, in addition to various numbers of small and medium enterprises that will grow there from.

    “The training could be conceived one of the immediate intervention programme of the federal government to reduce unemployment through empowerment of youths and women who in turn would graduate to be job providers rather than job seekers,” Elemo added.

  • Women can fix Nigeria if… -Akinadewo

    Making Nigeria work is easy if women use their God-given abilities and soft skills to raise good children and guide their husbands.

    Apostolic Mother Elizabeth Akinadewo, wife of the Prelate/ Supreme Head of Motailatu Church Cherubim & Seraphim Worldwide (MCCSW), Baba Aladura Elder Dr Israel Akinadewo, stated this last week during the National Women Conference of the church in its Ibeju-Lekki international headquarters.

    She said women have all it takes to change Nigeria if only they realise and deploy their God-given skills.

    Speaking on the theme of the conference: “The hand of God that changes Destiny” Akinadewo cited biblical characters like Ruth and Hannah, who through God’s divine intervention and their determination, were able to influence their immediate environments and the cause of history.

    She listed disobedience, rebellion, wickedness, arrogance and all other unrighteous practices as factors that could limit ones experiencing the hand of God in destiny remolding.

    She maintained that women have great influence in nation- building and passionately appealed women should utilise their God-given ability and what she called “soft skills” to guide their husbands aright for the stability, progress and development of this country.

    “Women can go extra mile to ensure their objectives are realised by using their exploits and “soft skill” to influence their husbands for the stability of this nation.

    “If we can worship Him in truth and in Spirit, God can make us women, the Deborah of our nation and he can use us to change imperfections in our families and in our system to become perfect,” Akinadewo reiterated.

    According to her, if Christian women can resolve and dutifully agree to commit all to Jehovah, they will be able to change things positively within the families and the country in general.

    In her own contribution, the new patron of the MCCSW Good Women National Conference, Mrs. Victoria Adegbenro, said all Christian women must lead exemplary lifestyles because of their divine roles as nation builders.

    Adegbenro, an educationist, urged women to stand strong as they effectively combine their roles as wives, mothers, nation builders and spiritual leaders.

    She urged them not to succumb to challenges and pressures but actualise their divine roles in the family as well as the country.

  • Half of murdered women killed by ‘partners’ – UN deputy chief

    Ms Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General, has said that worldwide, almost one-in-two women murdered were killed by a partner or ex-partner.

    Mohammed stated this in Brussels at the launch of a new partnership between the UN and EU, an essential tool to make violence against women and girls “a thing of the past”.

    Addressing the European Development Days, she said that the joint ‘Spotlight Initiative’ was a key element for making Global Goal 5 on women’s empowerment, of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, a reality.

    She said that in some countries, “spotlight will focus on the most extreme form of violence – femicide”.

    “Often, in the wake of these murders, we find that women have indeed reported to the police, or sought medical care.

    “But service providers did not have adequate information or the means to identify the risk,” the UN deputy scribe said.

    Mohammed said some of the violence took place due to the broader insecurity that women faced, particularly where they were advocating for women’s rights.

    She painted a picture of women not fully included in decision-making, being subjected to a “global pandemic” of violence against women and girls.

    “Attacks and discrimination are deeply embedded in social norms, attitudes and practices. Addressing these mindsets will require significant investments of time, resources and political will,” she asserted.

    Now in the third year of working towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the forum in 2018 is  spotlighting on gender equality.

    “Without equality and empowerment, we will simply perpetuate today’s paradigm: trying to address all the world’s challenges with only half the world’s assets,” she said.

    The UN deputy chief cited the World Bank in detailing how women’s equal participation in the labour force had the potential to unlock 160 trillion dollars for sustainable development reinvestment.

    “Yet a stark reality prevails: more women than men live in extreme poverty,” she said, adding that the worldwide pay gap stands at 23 per cent, and gender roles have been too slow to change.

    Mohammed pointed to the benefit of reaching SDG 5 – for the more than 190 countries around the world who signed up to the Goals in 2015 – which calls for gender equality and women’s empowerment.

    “I often call it the ‘docking station’ for all the goals,” she said, flagging that Spotlight builds on civil society leadership and aims to address some of the imbalances women face.

    The UN deputy chief also underscored the UN’s commitment to lead by example by empowering women within the organisation itself.

    Mohammed said the UN was working towards, for the first time in its history, full gender parity in the Senior Management Group and among those nominated to be its Resident Coordinators.

    “We have a long way to go.  But we have a plan and we have the will,” she stressed. (NAN)

     

  • World Bank: $160b lost to men, women earnings gap

    The World Bank has disclosed that countries are losing $160 trillion in wealth due to gaps in lifetime earnings between men and women.

    The figure, the global lender said in a report relased yesterday, amounts to an average of $23,620 per person in the 141 countries studied by the World Bank Group.

    The study, Unrealised Potential: The high cost of gender inequality in earnings, examines the economic cost of gender inequality in lost human capital. It comes before the meeting of the G7, currently headed by Canada, which committed to ensuring gender equality and women’s empowerment are integrated across all G7 themes, activities and initiatives during its presidency.

    “The world is essentially leaving $160 trillion on the table when we neglect inequality in earnings over the lifetime between men and women,” World Bank CEO Kristalina Georgieva said.

    “This is a stark reminder that world leaders need to act now and act decisively to invest in policies that promote more and better jobs for women and equal pay at work.

  • ‘Women’ll do more in politics’

    The new Woman Leader of the Lagos State Chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC),  Hon. Jumoke Okoya-Thomas, has promised to protect the interest of women across the state. Speaking to journalists after the swearing-in of the new executive members of the party at its state secretariat on Acme Road, Ikeja, Lagos on Thursday, Okoya-Thomas promised to bring a new lease of life to the women and other members of the party.

    According to her, “We will bring in a new generation of women in politics into Lagos APC and protect the interest of all the women in our great party especially in the grassroots. I promise to uphold this throughout my stay in office and I have no doubt that other members of the new executive under the pragmatic leadership of the new chairman of our great party would co-operate with me in this task,” she enthused.

    The former member of the Federal House of Representatives promised to listen to suggestions from women and carry them along in her task of making things better, adding that the APC-led government believes in women empowerment and participation in politics. “My aim is to build on what my predecessors have achieved and make more women to actively engage in the political process of Lagos State by vigorously mobilizing more women into the APC, especially the new generation of politically conscious women.”

     

  • Be problem solvers, women charged

    Women must be problem solvers, not burdens to their husbands, homes and society, Pastor (Mrs.) Gloria Olumide has stated.

    She spoke at the 2018 All Sisters’ conference of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Lagos Province 59 with, the theme Women of Victory.

    Olumide said when women are problem solvers, it will make for peace at home and in the nation.

    Women, being problem solvers, according to her, are fulfilling their God-given role as helpmeets.

    Olumide also enjoined women to be worthy role models as well as teach their children moral values.

    Victorious women, according to Wife of the Provincial Pastor,RCCG, LP59, Pastor Mrs. Funke AyinOluwa, might face struggles, temptations and challenges but will overcome.

    Her words: “The Lord of Host has already won the battle and given us victory. All we need do is to have faith in Him and continue to walk and declare the victory.”

    Speaking on the 12 keys to healthy lifestyle, Dr Chris Williams of Family Health Dove Media identified them as divine factor, elimination of waste, sunshine, nutrition, stress control and fasting, among others.

    According to Williams, all chronic sicknesses emanate from the same route, urging women to find time for recreation and take nourishing meals.

  • Women march for Ambode

    Epe Professionals Women Association (EPWA) has marched around Epe community in Lagos to register their support for Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s second term.

    The women, who  dressed in T-shirts, jeans and fez caps, stopped at every junction to address residents on why Ambode’s second term is important.

    They said the governor’s passion for the welfare of women and the vulnerable group is unprecedented.

    EPWA patron, Dr. Atinuke Onayiga said the governor’s efforts protected women from abuses and undignified treatment.

    She added that vulnerable women and children could now stand up for their rights in the society with legal representation provided by the government.

    She said: “We identify with His Excellency in the area of monument infrastructure development in Epe and other communities in Lagos. EPWA is at peace and happy with the giant strides of the governor. We are equally pleased with the steps the governor is taking on violence against women, gender inequality and sexual abuse.

    “This is giving hope to our women to press for progress. Ambode should, therefore, begin another term. EPWA’s main objective is to contribute to the improvement of the lives of the people of Epe, particularly women and children.

    “We are doing this through education and empowerment programme. We thank everybody who came out to identify with the performing governor.

    “He has done so much for this town; never in the history have we appreciated such phenomenal. We thank him immensely and we want to let him know that he has our full support for the second coming.

    “When the time comes, don’t forget to come out to vote for him. We should mobilise our children and sisters who are 18 years and above to register and get their PVC for the election. I want you to come out in the same number and enthusiastic zeal to elect our brother, father and son.

    Epe women leader Olajumoke Razak said the women would not sleep or relax until Ambode won the election.

    She added that plans were on to take the campaign from door to door, ensuring that women, youths of voting age were persuaded to join the moving train.

    “It is equally good to note that this transformation is not limited to Epe; it can be felt everywhere in Lagos. The records are there in Abule-Egba, Oshodi, Mushin, Badagry and other places.

    “He inaugurated 21 roads in a day. This record is unprecedented. The roads are not only meant for the benefit of Lagosians, but neighbouring states linking Lagos.

    “I want to say if it is possible to have a third term, we would mobilise for him. The rally we are having is to mobilise women ahead of the coming election. The man has done great things and I am sure we will not find it difficult to market him to the public.

    “We are praying for him that God should give him the same energy to impact more when he wins the election in 2019. My advice to our women is that they should not go to sleep yet because we have to ensure the success of the governor.

    “They have to obtain their PVC, they have to come out en-mass to exercise their civic responsibility. They have to register because without this, they cannot do anything even when they want to vote for him. Your PVC is your power to ensure continuity.

    “We are urging those who think they can displace the governor not to waste their resource because Ambode will get it again and again,” she added.