The Nation Newspaper

Tag: women

  • Women enjoy centre stage

    The National Association of University Women (NAUW), FUNAAB Branch, recently celebrated this year’s International Women’s Day with the theme, Women Inspiring Change, amidst pomp and pageantry.

    The President of NAUW, Dr Comfort Onifade, disclosed that the United Nations (UN), had set aside the day to honour women and appreciate their contributions to the development of the society.

    Speaking at the occasion, Mrs. Iquo Ukoh, Director of Marketing, Nestle Foods Plc, noted that although a reasonable number of women were at the helm of affairs in their various organisations, the percentage was still very insignificant. She, however, stated that things are better today for women, in terms of opportunities just like their male counterparts, than before.

    In her lecture titled, Gender Balance in Corporate Environment: Where Are We?, Mrs Ukoh, the first woman to become a Marketing Manager and the only female on the board of Nestle Food Plc, said that women needed a lot of effort, preparedness, skill, emotional intelligence and professional maturity, to get to the top.

  • Women fight unsafe abortion

    Women fight unsafe abortion

    Enough is enough! That was the battle cry of some Southeast women as they went from one community to another urging their local counterparts to desist from any act that may hurt their reproductive health or take their lives entirely.

    The campaigning women were alarmed that so many women die from unsafe abortions. The women, led by Dr Kate Ezeofor, mounted the campaign on the platform of Umuada Igbo.

    The Umuada, comprising the home-based and those from the Diaspora, have been going round communities especially in Anambra State to sensitise rural women on how they can reduce abortion-induced hazards.

    Umuada Igbo have previously visited communities such as Amawbia, Umunnachi and Ihiala, among others, to preach the gospel of safe abortion.

    Recently, they went to Amesi in their numbers in Aguata Local Government Area under the guidance and supervision of IPAS-Nigeria.

    While speaking to the rural women Ezeofor, who is the President General of Umuada Igbo Nigeria and in the Diaspora said that 34,000 women and girls die in Nigeria every year as a result of complications from abortion.

    She said that a recent study had showed that for every one girl that dies as a result of abortion, 20 others are maimed for life.

    This, according to her, is as a result of attempts to terminate unwanted pregnancies using what she described as quack doctors.

    Ezeofor was represented by Mrs. Philomena Nnamani during the sensitisation exercise whose theme was Women’s Reproductive Health, Rights and Safe Family Planning methods”.

    She said that when a woman dies, the mortality rate of the under-five children rises very sharply.

    The Umuada president said the group’s seminars and workshops in Igbo-speaking states are to ensure that families practice family planning and space their children to attain a healthy and better family.

    However, she advocated natural family planning methods for the rural women who she said could not meet the sophistication of the artificial methods.

    Also speaking, Prof Brian Adinma urged the women to play safe by always ensuring that they space their children.

    Adinma, a one-time commissioner for health in Anambra State, spoke on the topic, “Women’s Reproductive Health and Rights.

    He said it would give them good health and allow them to space to take good care of the child before another one.

    In her lecture, another resource person, a lawyer, Nkem Anyaogu, while teaching the women their rights in law, said that the women had the right to say how many children they want to have without their husband forcing them to have more.

    Furthermore, she told the rural women that Umuada Igbo in collaboration with IPAS-Nigeria would offer free legal services to the women who according to her, were going through one trauma or the other in their homes.

    Again, Anyaogu urged them to always report cases of rape to the group as a way of exposing the perpetrators of such acts.

    Before the sensitisation exercise, the Umuada group had paid a courtesy call on the vice President General of Amesi community, Mr. A. K. N Azodo, where they said that their aim was not to teach the women to disobey their husbands but to enhance the happiness of families through enlightenment.

    Ipas, an international organization which had been in the fore front for women enlightenment and liberation had supported Umuada Igbo to achieve their aims and objectives.

    Ezeofor therefore thanked the organisation for assisting the Umuada.

     

  • Women protest imposition of taxes

    More than 100 women from various markets in Aba, the commercial haven of Abia State, have protested what they called the imposition of taxes on them.

    The women complained that the state government revenue contractors and agents in different markets were exacting unfair taxes from them, a development they said was not in the interest of the traders.

    The women, who marched through the major streets in the commercial hub of the state, were chanting anti-taxation songs bearing placards with different inscriptions expressing their dissatisfaction over the alleged taxes.

    The protesting women on their way to Ogbor Hill premises of the Nigerian Television Authority, Channel 6, Aba, were, however, restrained by a combined team of regular and mobile policemen who dispersed them and prevented them from continuing with the protest.

    Sources said that the women after being dispersed by the police later converged around Aba South Local Government headquarters, where they were later said to have been addressed by a man identified as Mr. Nwagbara, said to be working under Aba South Council revenue unit.

    Nwagbara, The Nation learnt, promised to channel their grievances to the appropriate quarters for consideration.

    Some of the women who spoke to our reporter before they were dispersed, said they were paying all manner of taxes and levies in the market that cannot be justified by the contractors, market authorities or the government.

    “As we speak to you, there are several taxes and levies in the market which traders have been subjected to pay. From where do we get the money to pay when roads are bad and business dropped so low because our customers no longer come to buy from us? Some of them are now going to Onitsha to buy what they were supposed to come to buy from us in Aba as a result of our deplorable roads. All we want from government is to help us fix our roads before asking us to pay taxes. And that is why women in the city have come out to say that enough should be enough”, they stated.

    When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Geoffrey Ogbonna said he was yet to be informed about the protest, but stated that police could not have allowed the protest to be hijacked by touts.

    Ogbonna blamed the women for not obtaining police permit before embarking on such protest, stressing that the police would have given them security to ensure that hoodlums did not cease the opportunity to cause mayhem.

  • ‘Women should be change agents’

    ‘Women should be change agents’

    Penultimate week, women in Nigeria joined the rest of the world to celebrate the International Women’s Day. The event which is marked on March 8 every year was set aside by the United Nations to respect, show appreciation and love to women for their economic, political and social achievements.

    The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day was: “Equality for Women is Progress for All.”

    Women in the nation’s capital were not left out of the celebration. They were treated to free fitness and aerobic exercises organised by Biobak Eat and Burn; Gym Centre. The event was tagged: “Fit woman; Fit Nation.”

    The women, who gathered at the entrance of Gaduwa Estate, Gudu District in Abuja took part in a road walk from the estate to Games Village. For two hours, the women were put through various fitness exercises by instructors.

    Experts presented fitness and awareness talks. The participants, numbering over 50, were urged to exercise and maintain a physical fitness, look fit, in order to keep a daily healthy lifestyle. There were also talks on weight loss, among others. The exercise lasted one week.

    The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company, Mrs. Abiodun Mojisola Obakin, in a chat with our correspondent said the free fitness walk, one week free fitness/aerobic programme, fitness and wellness seminar and free online newsletter for those in attendance, was meant to inspire and encourage Nigerian women.

    “Our goal is to encourage and empower women to make better lifestyle decisions that include healthy eating and regular physical activity. For there to be a nation, there has to be a fit woman. That is why we are celebrating Nigerian women by tagging the event Fit woman: Fit Nation. This is because for you to achieve a healthy living, you must engage in physical activities. When you eat well, exercise well, the person will be fine,” she said.

    Mrs. Obakin urged women to find time to engage themselves in physical exercise. Excuse, she said, should not be used to avoid exercises, even as she urged women to be committed to keeping fit through regular exercise.

    She said: “One of the ways women can do better is to come out and get fit. Exercise is becoming a necessity. When you eat, it is a must to do exercise. Therefore, doing some exercise in any form, in any way, even starting from a little walk about or walk around in your house for 15 to 20 minutes is exercise.

    “We want our women to come out of the dungeon and belong. When you are fit, you will go to your place of work and do your best. When you are fit, you will be able to take care of your family. When you are fit, you will be able to be change agent in whatever area you find yourself. So, let us have some little exercise so that we will be more active and do better.”

    On how women in the rural areas could benefit from such event, Mrs Obakin said: “Actually, we have series of programmes that we want to do subsequently,” adding: “We want to reach out to them by networking. We have a programme that mentors. We want to go into villages, into the rural areas to encourage women to appreciate the value of life.

    “We are planning to mentor, we are planning to educate. We are planning to do a kind of networking whereby every woman, no matter her level of education will come around and identify with.”

    Former Director-General of the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation, Mrs. Omotayo Omotosho participated in the exercise. She urged women to inspire change in the society.

    “We are poised to effect change in our society to better the lot of other women. Wherever women find themselves, they should try to add values to the lives of the people around them. If you educate a woman, you educate a nation. If a woman is healthy, the entire family and nation will be healthy,” she said.

  • Expert advocates quality education for women

    The Federal Government has been urged to give women quality and functinal education to enhance the country’s growth.

    Speaking at closing ceremony of a national conference organised by the Nigerian Aid Group of Islam and the JNI, a professor of Education at Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto Mrs Aishatu Madawaki Isah said such education was necessary for women to contribute to health and other development initiatives.

    The theme of the conference attended by women from 25 states of the federation was: “Women, the Centre-point for community Health and National Development.’’

    Mrs Isah said the Nigerian woman had the potential to contribute to all aspects of national and human development like their counterparts in other parts of the world.

    The don, represented by Hajiya Halima Abubakar, said: “The Nigerian woman, if given the space and required knowledge, has the dependable strength to size up any woman from across the globe.

    “Therefore, women should be adequately empowered with the right type of education.”

    Earlier, the Sokoto State President of the Nigerian Aid Group, Ahaji Sani Umar said the conference was part of the ongoing national efforts to promote the campaign for effective healthcare as it concerns maternal and child health.

    Umar said the importance of the conference could not be over-emphasised considering the importance of women in the society.

    According to the District Head of Gagi, women are strong pillars in the society and the immediate family,” stating that “the importance of this conference is too glaring.

    The traditional ruler also said the conference was a good one considering the socio-cultural, economic and health challenges in the society.

    ‘’This conference aims at ensuring the significant reduction in maternal mortality, and by extension, to reduce the rate of child mortality through collaboration between healthcare service providers and community at all levels,’’ he said.

  • Women’s issues poorly represented

    WOMEN’S health issues are still widely ignored in the world of scientific research despite a law passed two decades ago mandating female representation in government-funded studies, HealthDay news reported.

    In the latest review of the scientific literature, researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston found that there are still large gaps in the scientific process as it relates to women, with many studies failing to include women in patient data sets and ignoring gender-specific outcomes.

    “The science that informs medicine routinely fails to consider the impact of sex and gender, and this occurs at some of the earliest stages of research — from animal to human studies,” said report author Dr. Paula Johnson, executive director of The Connors Center for Women’s Health at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

    According to the report, less than 1/3 of clinical trial participants in studies regarding cardiovascular health are women, although cardiovascular disease is the lead cause of death among women in the United States. Additionally, depression and anxiety are a major health concern for women worldwide, yet less than 45 percent of animal studies focusing on these mental health issues use female animals.

    The report also noted a lack of focus on sex-specific outcomes. For example, lung cancer research often fail to include data on gender-specific factors, even though lung cancer behaves differently in men than in women.

    Johnson and other health experts claim that a lack of female representation and focus in studies will lead to poorer outcomes for women in clinical settings. They argue that there needs to be better enforcement of the Women’s Health Equality Act, a bill passed in 1990 to promote greater gender equality in the delivery of health care services to women through expanded women’s health research.

    But overall, Johnson said leaders in politics, science and business need to be better educated in the gender disparities that still exist.

    “We really have to raise awareness,” Johnson said. “There’s an overall lack of awareness among our population.

    •culled from HealthDay News

  • Salute to women in tech

    Salute to women in tech

    BERLIN: This International Women’s Day, ladies everywhere will celebrate breaking the glass ceiling in industries of all kinds. And while the global tech industry has copped its fair share of criticism as being male-dominated, in the heart of Berlin’s booming start-up scene things are starting to change.

    The city’s flourishing tech scene has become one of the world’s tech hotspots and female leaders are right at the forefront of this innovative movement. Within Silicon Allee, the German capital’s thriving start-up community, women are now starting to lead the way.

    Lamudi (www.lamudi.com), a Rocket-Internet venture, serves as a platform for emerging real estate markets across the globe. In its stable of 75 successful start-ups worldwide, the incubator has a strong team of women to thank for its achievements.

    Lamudi alone boasts three female Managing Directors worldwide, as well as three Directors located in their Berlin HQ. More than half of their workforce in Berlin is also female.

    Malen Gomez, Head of SEO at Lamudi, says the industry has developed enormously over the past 10 years. “The tech industry has changed so much over the last decade that now it isn’t rare at all to see a woman heading up global teams in this field. My role within Lamudi shows the huge potential for females within the world of start-ups,” she says.

    While the tech arena is still a man’s world, there is no question that women are gaining ground in the industry. From industry leaders like Julia Kaganskiy, the editor-at-large for VICE magazine’s The Creators Project, to Twitter engineer Sara Haider, women are making their mark on this growing sector.

    There are countless others who not only lead the way in making female voices heard within the tech community, but who have also taken an innovative approach to the industry as a whole.

    Jacqueline van den Ende, Founder and Managing Director of Lamudi Philippines (www.lamudi.com.ph), says women can bring something different to the table in the tech sector. “I feel that we particularly excel in creating a motivated and collaborative company culture. Paying attention to people before targets helps to create a team in which every single person is the best he or she can be. As a woman in a male-dominated setting I often feel you are in a position of strength rather than weakness,” she

    says.

    “I love being a woman,” says Katy Campbell, Lamudi’s Global Public Relations Director. “Being a woman at the top is such a fantastic opportunity to inspire everyone around me to climb up the career ladder.

    I’ve always looked up to strong women as a way to encourage myself to be better; be stronger. The range of females who inspire me is so vast, from Arianna Huffington to Sheryl Sandberg. Being an inspirational woman doesn’t mean being at the top, it means being happy, being you, being great.”

    Lamudi was founded in 2013 and is currently available in Algeria, Bangladesh, Colombia, Ghana, Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Rwanda, Peru, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Tanzania, Tunisia and in Uganda.

    Its real estate marketplace offers sellers, buyers, landlords and renters the ideal platform to find homes, land and commercial properties online.

  • CBN reviews 40% women board slot

    CBN reviews 40% women board slot

    The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will by year-end, review banks’ compliance with its regulatory directive that lenders give 40 per cent board positions to women, its Acting Governor, Dr. Sarah Alade has said.

    Speaking at an International Sustainable Banking Forum organised by the CBN in collaboration with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) on Monday, she said the CBN expects compliance from banks.

    Dr. Alade, who was represented by CBN Deputy Governor, Operations, Dr. Kingley Moghalu, said there is a sense of agreement that women on boards should be increased for economic growth sustainability.

    She said the banking sector made commitment to increase the critical mass of women in decision-making process, 40 per cent of top management positions and 30 per cent of board positions should be filled by women within this year.

    “Although we want this achieved, we will have to wait till the end of 2014 to assess compliance. We expect that many banks will comply. We recognise that simply issuing the circular is the beginning of the journey. It is not an easy thing to comply, as witnessed in other parts of the world.

    “Even in the United States, there are problems with women being represented on the boards of corporates. Even European Union has made it compulsory, but there is a structural impediments to getting women into corporate leadership positions,” she said.

    She said the CBN has taken proactive steps and concrete actions to promote gender equality and women economic empowerment.

    The CBN, she said, is promoting women’s economic empowerment in order to achieve sustainability by launching the N220 billion Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund, 60 per cent of which will be committed to women- owned, or headed businesses and enterprises.

    She said the CBN recognises that unless social concerns such as gender disparity and women economic empowerment are addressed, economic and environmental goals and overall sustainable development will be difficult to achieve.

    She explained that just like in every part of the country, there are qualified people to fill any position, it also follows that for companies also, there are qualified women to fill any kind of position.

    Alade said since the launch of the sustainability banking principles and accompanying guidelines, the CBN has developed, exposed and approved a reporting template to enable it measure performance on sustainability issues by the industry to show commitment and be transparent.

     

     

  • ‘Women must not take back seat in politics’

    ‘Women must not take back seat in politics’

    Amina Abdulazeez made history when she was elected the first woman to occupy a seat in the Students’ Representative Assembly of the Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS), Students’ Union Government (SUG). The final year student of Political Science, who is also the Vice President of the union, speaks with HALIMAH AKANBI (200-Level Law) on the legacy she wishes to bequeath.

    Can you tell us your background?

    I was born in Birnin Kebbi, where I had my primary and secondary education. I hold a diploma in Public Administration. I am the first lady to be elected a member of the Students’ Representative Assembly in Usman Danfodiyo University. I am also the Vice President of the Students’ Union.

    What prompted your interest in politics?

    Naturally, I have passion for activism. So by implication, this makes me to join campus politics. In fact, I was called upon by my colleagues to participate in students’ unionism because of my pedigree. Specifically, I started politics when I was in the polytechnic; I contested for Social Director. Although, I lost the election, but since then I have never looked back. Honestly, I realised that for people to be agents of change, somebody has to take up the gauntlet first and carry other people along.

    How does your course of study help your interest in politics?

    Not really. But I can say that being a student of political science has helped me to better understand the dynamics of campus politics. It has also helped to identify challenges facing students and the huge expectations from everybody to deliver. Political Scientists are seen as doctor of all political ailments and see issues from the right perspective.

    Given your experience so far, would you advise women to participate in politics?

    Yes. I want them to take active role in campus politics. The campus is not meant for male students alone. Ladies should not join politics to fill up the quota; they are stakeholders. They must be part of the people determining where the pendulum of service should swing. They must not take the back seat when it comes to political participation. I was inspired to contest for a seat in the Students’ Representative Assembly because I discovered that no lady had been there before and presently, as the Vice President, I am working with the present legislators to sponsor a bill that would reserve at least a slot for female from each faculty.

  • Adesina advocates 30% agricultural lending to women

    The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Akinwumi Adesina, has called for 30 percent lending support for female farmers.

    Adesina spoke in Jos, Plateau State when he led a delegation of the management staff of the ministry on a tour of agricultural facilities in the state.

    He said the repayment rate of women on loan facilities is about 98 percent as against the men who pay less.

    The minister said: “We are going to work very actively with you to help in this finance because there is no reason why at least 30 percent of all bank lending shouldn’t be going to women because they are the majority of the farmers.

    “We believe it is time to have an affirmative action with regards to women to make sure they get both extensions, access to finance and better access to market because investing in women secures the lives of a household and the destiny of a nation.

    “If you look at the majority of our farmers, they are women and they are better farmers but they do not get as much support as the men do.

    “One of the things that encourage me is that the women are all getting their fertilisers through the GES which creates empowerment for them.”

    The minister assured the female farmers of support with the dedication of N10million for the establishment of a Farmers Micro Finance Bank.

    The facilitator of FADAMA 3 women farmers in Plateau, Mrs. Mary Afan, who unveiled plans to establish the Farmers Micro Finance Bank, told reporters that the success of the GES to women farmers in the state was unprecedented.

    She said all the 35,000 women in her group accessed their inputs of three bags of fertilisers.