As 2023 draws near, women across all sectors and levels have been charged to stand in solidarity in their numbers and support other women aspiring for leadership positions, to enable more women be voted into elective positions in the country.
Minister of Women Affairs Dame Pauline Tallen, gave the charge in her speech at the 2020 Annual Women’s Conference held on the theme, “Formidable Force for Gender Equality: Women’s Leadership a d Political Participation” organised by the 100 Women Lobby Group in collaboration with Women’s Voice and Leadership Nigeria Project with supported from Global Affairs Canada and Actionaid Nigeria.
According to the Minister, it was long overdue for more women to be involved in governance and leadership positions, if any meaningful development can be achieved especially as they have been blessed with natural managerial talents.
“I encourage us all to keep pushing and support each other if we love our children and our country, we must all stand in solidarity; we must be strategic, we must rise and take our place in the political and economic sphere of leadership,” she said.
Tallen further restated the need for Gender Based Violence (GBV) to be totally eradicated, appealing to all relevant stakeholders to doing their beats in other to achieve this.
Earlier while speaking via zoom, the keynote speaker of the event Dr. Oby Ezekwisili, stated that research has shown that society that have achieved gender balance tend to make progress in all political and economic spheres.
She said the voices of women must to be heard in development issues, saying Sustainable Development Goals cannot be achieved without the participation of women in decision making.
Ezekwisili decried the lack of data which had largely affected the lack of capacity building, networking and structural issues of women participation in politics and leadership.
“The lack of Data has deprived aspiring leaders of capacity building, networking and mentoring opptunities. We need voter data which will capture all women at the ward level, and voters registration, which entails mobilizing women across the country to ensure women participate,” she stated.
“Women must understand the gain in speed and scale, We must invest in gaining knowledge; we must research and be informed with empirical evidence and data. With partnership, data, financial literacy, we can achieve the numbers game and accomplish our goals as women,” she added.
In her opening remarks, Co-Convener of the conference and the National Coordinator of the 100 women Lobby Group Mrs. Felicia Onibon, said the conference was geared towards preparing women for 2023 election.
She said the conference had provided a platform for women working in rural communities, govt agencies and political class and NGO’s to come together to network, discuss on issues that affect women.
“The discussions and various contributions and views from the conference would enable us make progress as well as building momentum towards 2023.
Also, President of Women in Politics Forum (WIPF) Ebere Ifendu, said the conference was aimed at empowering women in the festive period to be an advocate by speaking to other women to support each another.
“We have begun to mobilise and as the years go by we will solidify especially with the constitution that is being amended which will make the affirmative action to be more visible,”she said.
