President Muhammadu Buhari has felicitated with Nigerian women on the occasion of this year’s International Women’s Day.
At the occasion, the president said any government that neglects women does so at its own peril.
In a statement issued Monday in Abuja, the president described women as the bedrock of the society.
Describing the theme of the 2021 celebration, ‘Choose To Challenge,’ as quite apt, President Buhari rejoiced with the womenfolk and restated his administration’s commitment to addressing the multifarious challenges confronting them at various levels of the society.
With seven female ministers, and two of them heading strategic Ministries of Finance, Budget and National Planning; and Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, in addition to scores more in charge of key parastatals and agencies, as well as serving as presidential aides, the president applauded their contributions to the successes recorded by the administration.
“I am proud of our women who have shown by dint of hard work and capacity that they can perform creditably if given the opportunity at home and on the global stage,” he said.
The president pledged support towards female gender inclusiveness in all sectors of national life, stressing that women are key to a happy and stable family, society and nation.
With females forming about half of the country’s population, the president said any “government which neglects such a crucial component of its demographic asset stands the risk of stunted growth and likely failure.”
He condemned all forms of gender-based discriminations, abuse, harassment and violence targeted, especially, at the female folk at work places, schools, community and national levels.
He wished all Nigerian women joyous and memorable 2021 International Women’s Day celebration.
Meanwhile, the federal government has expressed its readiness to end gender-based violence in the country.
To this end, the Buhari administration is currently working towards the establishment of specialised courts and judicial divisions focused on sexual and gender-based violence.
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, made this known Monday during a virtual session on “Special Event on Gender Dimensions of Criminal Justice Responses to Terrorism.”
The event was organised by the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime as part of events to commemorate the IWD in Kyoto, Japan Monday.
In a statement by the AGF’s Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Dr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu, Malami said government was ready to give significant attention to the issue of sexual and gender-based violence.
He said Nigeria also developed a National Action Plan on the Implementation of Security Council Resolution 1325 on the Women, Peace and Security agenda.
The plan, the minister said, stemmed from the need to respond to the needs and promote the role of women in efforts to address terrorism., adding the UNODC, European Union, and the federal government had launched partnership in that direction.
The AGF RCRCH said the newly inaugurated Inter-Ministerial Management Committee on Eradication of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence would be important tools in helping Nigeria to address the crime.
He said: “In collaboration with relevant stakeholders, the Complex Case Group under the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice leads in the efforts to bring suspected terrorists to justice and also work to include sexual violence related charges against Boko Haram suspects in collaboration with the military, police and other security service investigators from the multiagency Joint Investigation Centre, in North-east Nigeria.
“The current administration also knows well that giving a voice to women is an important aspect of development as women are important agents of positive change.”
The minister noted with dismay the spate of kidnap, sexual and gender-based violence against women and girls by terrorist groups, assuring that bringing those who committed these acts to justice remains the priority of the current administration.
“The Nigerian Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies are working day and night to combat insecurity, terrorism, kidnapping and abduction of people in the country.
“We must work to prevent both male and female perpetrators from carrying out these acts and support those who have been victims,” the minister stated.
Aisha Buhari on abduction of women, schoolgirls
Also speaking on the IWD, wife of the president, Hajiya Aisha Buhari, called on governments at all levels to ensure an end to the abduction of schoolgirls and women in Nigeria.
In a goodwill message Monday on her Twitter handle titled, ‘Message of the First Lady, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, on the occasion of the International Women’s Day 2021’, she stated that girl-child education is being affected by abductions in the country.
The message reads in part: “COVID-19 has had a huge impact on women; disrupted education and careers, lost jobs, descent into poverty, and proliferation of domestic violence. Many have also died or suffered due to lack of access to basic information on the pandemic.
“It is therefore important, not just to continue spreading the message of the COVID-19 protocol, but to remember and support those who have been affected negatively by the pandemic in one way or another.
“Away from COVID-19, women and girls in Nigeria have continued to suffer abductions both in the hands of insurgents and bandits.
“As a mother, I share the sorrow and agony of the victims and their families. I am also not unaware of the impact that these abductions could have in reverting many successes we have hitherto achieved, especially in terms of girl-child education and early marriages.
“I call on all stakeholders to continue to exert their different levels of influence and bring these abductions to an end and to assure us that girls are safe anywhere they may find themselves.
“My best wishes to women all over the world for their resilience, hard work and commitment to the progress of humanity. Happy International Women’s Day.”
ActionAids Nigeria
in a related development, ActionAid Nigeria has called on the federal government and its agencies to scale up investments in public services, including public healthcare services in order to reduce and redistribute women’s unpaid care and domestic work.
The call was contained in a statement by the Communications Coordinator, ActionAid Nigeria, Lola Ayanda, and made available to newsmen in Lokoja Monday.
The statement quoted ActionAid Nigeria Country Director Ene Obi as saying, “the commemoration of the 2021 International Women’s Day is a strong reminder of the unanticipated struggles of Nigerian women who were the hardest hit by social and economic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in the year 2020.”
She lamented that due to COVID-19 pandemic, many Nigerians lost their paid jobs and women became saddled with the unpaid responsibility of caring for sick family members.
“Reports of domestic violence doubled amidst an almost paralysed support system for survivors of violence due to the lockdowns.
“Currently, insecurity has further plunged the country into multiple and intersecting crises with women as primary targets and easy preys.
“As the country re-strategies to rise above this current situation, we call for the adoption of a care-cantered approach which recognises that care and well-being are critical to sustaining societies, economies, and the environment.
“A care-cantered approach also entails investing in gender-based violence prevention and response in all public and private spaces. Care needs to be valued, redistributed and should be integral to humanitarian preparedness and response policies,” she said.
“We join the world to amplify ‘’ChooseToChallenge’’ and call on all Nigerians to seek out and celebrate women’s achievements. Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive Nigeria where the empowerment and fulfilment of the rights of women and girls is normalized,” Ene stated
