Include women across all sectors: CSOs tell Govt
As International Women's Day continue to take centre stage in Nigeria, Civil Society Organizations have stressed the need to protect policies that empower women and ensure men abandon a culture of impunity that encourages discrimination.
Executive Director, Women Rights and Health Project, Bose Ironsi, while taking on Gender-Based Discrimination, during a symposium organised by Woman of Substance recently in Lagos, with the theme “Accelerate Action on the Rights, Equality, Empowerment for Women and Girls.” stressed the importance of recognizing and confronting gender-based discrimination.
"We need deliberate efforts to protect and empower women. Women have struggled and gone through various processes to ensure things work in their favour".
She said, now is the right time to provide more enabling environments for women to thrive as individuals and human beings,” Bose stated.
“We can only change the narrative if we admit that there is a problem. Unfortunately, many people have become too comfortable with the way they are,” she added.
Speaking on Empowerment Beyond Finances, the Clinic Manager at NORDICA Fertility Centre, Ms Ranti Ajayi, noted that empowerment goes beyond financial independence, adding that knowledge-based empowerment is key to enabling women to make informed decisions in their personal and professional lives.
“Women should develop themselves and be empowered not just financially, but with knowledge. Every woman should be equipped with the right information to make informed decisions,” Ajayi explained
She identified religious and cultural barriers as some of the reasons militating against women’s progress and advocated collective action to dismantle the restrictions to allow women to maximize their potential.
On the topic, " Breaking Stereotypes and Patriarchy, the Convener and Executive Director, Woman of Substance, a Non-Governmental Organization, Ms Ify Onyegbule, stated that the impact of stereotypes and patriarchal systems has continued to hinder women’s advancement in all spheres of life.
"We must find ways to bridge these gaps and ensure a level playing field. The issues affecting women in society are obvious, adding that Stereotypes make it difficult for women to thrive, while patriarchy creates significant barriers,” Onyegbule stated.
She urged women to be proactive in their pursuit of empowerment, emphasizing that opportunities may not always be handed to them.
“Women contribute immensely when given the chance, but they must be ready to step out, fight for their rights, and prove themselves,” she said.
Onyegbule also advocated for the active inclusion of women across all sectors, emphasizing the importance of equality, equity, and empowerment in fostering sustainable progress.
Participants called for a collective accelerated action to remove barriers and create more inclusive and empowering environments for women and girls.
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