Nigeria’s Women Affairs Minister, Uju Kennedy-Ohaneye has called for an urgent change in global action to ensure gender equality and women’s empowerment, in line with contemporary realities.
Speaking of Nigeria’s commitment to the promotion of gender equality and women empowerment, Kennedy-Ohaneye expressed optimism that by championing this change in global action plan, Nigeria would have inspired collective action and collaboration among nations, thus ensuring tangible progress in the gender affairs.
The Nigerian Minister revealed these at the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA:2024) in New York, US, and made through a statement issued by the Head, Information and Public Relations, Mrs. Grace Njoku, on Wednesday 25th September, 2024.
According to the statement, this marks a significant step in Nigeria’s commitment to advancing women’s rights and promoting a more inclusive global community.
“Without a change in the action plan to reflect current realities affecting women, especially across the African Continent, there can be no meaningful impact in their lives”, the statement read, quoting the Minister.
“We need to start achieving something. How can we do this? By changing the action plan so that the former narrative used in improving the lives of women globally in the past can now reflect the current realities with a focus on who we are and what we can benefit from, particularly in areas like empowerment and skill acquisition for women to boost their economic status and relevance in the society, she said
The Minister acknowledged the support of the international community in improving the lives of the feminine gender, especially through advocacies and deployment of other mechanisms. However, she observed that for the average hardworking and resilient Nigerian woman, what is needed is a boost that can come in the form of empowerment through funds to upscale small scale ventures, and in the provision of equipment for skill acquisition, among others.
Key areas of focus in the change of narratives, she advocated, include promoting equal opportunities and rights for women and girls, enhancing women’s participation in politics, economy, and society as well as fostering a culture of inclusivity and representation.