The UN Women, together with the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals and other partners, have collaborated on developing strategies to secure financial resources aimed at bridging gender disparities in Nigeria.
During a dialogue held in Abuja on Tuesday focusing on closing the gender gap and addressing SDG 5 in Nigeria, Ms. Beatrice Eyong, the UN Women’s Country Representative to Nigeria, emphasized the importance of financing gender equality and women’s empowerment as a means to combat violence.
She highlighted that progress towards gender parity requires inclusive conversations and united endeavors.
The dialogue’s objective is to convene stakeholders from diverse sectors to deliberate on tactics, exchange best practices, and generate feasible solutions.
Ms. Eyong encouraged active participation, stating that stakeholders’ inputs will significantly enrich the discussions and contribute to actionable outcomes.
Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, called for a reinforced collaborative commitment and approach to realize SDG-5 and the broader 2030 Agenda for SDGs.
Emphasizing the nearing 2030 deadline, she underscored the critical need for robust monitoring and evaluation through periodic progress reports and voluntary national reviews to monitor advancements.
Tajudeen Abbas, Speaker of the House of Representatives, reiterated the significance of women’s empowerment to enhance their involvement across all sectors, particularly in politics and governance.
Despite notable progress in the corporate realm with women assuming leadership positions, the legislative sector remains an area of concern, according to Abbas, as women’s participation needs further strengthening.
“The underrepresentation of women in this critical decision-making body is alarming.
“The voices of women must be amplified as they constitute half of the population, yet their representation in the parliamentary body globally stands at 26.9 per cent and under four per cent in Nigeria.
“This figure is far from the reality we seek. Nevertheless, the 10th House of Representatives is fully committed to the empowerment of women.
“Our legislative agenda is gender sensitive stands as a testament to this commitment with a strong focus on gender inclusion.
“One key provision in our agenda is the promotion of subsidy, specifically for female candidates aimed at reducing financial barriers that hinder women’s participation in politics,” he highlighted.
Mohammed Malick-Fall, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator to Nigeria, emphasized that incorporating gender-responsive budgeting is crucial for attaining Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG-5).
He highlighted that SDG-5 aims to eliminate gender disparities and unlock comprehensive benefits for women and girls, ultimately promoting gender equality and empowerment.
