…to assemble ‘critical decisions’ for Women Affairs Ministry.
by Christiana Gokyo, Jos
A four days’ meeting of the National Council on Social Development, organised by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs in collaboration with Ministry of Women Affairs Social Development, was recently put in place – to enable them take very critical decision that affects the Federal Ministry of Woman Affairs in general.
The Director Women Development, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs Friya Kimbe Bulus, disclosed this in Jos on Monday, while speaking to newsmen shortly after the opening of the meeting.
She said, the 36 States of Nigeria, including Abuja, has come all the way with various councils’ memos, trying to present them to seek approval, so that issues from women development and women empowerment can move forward with the councils’ memos when approval is given for states.
The 24th Regular National Council on Women Affairs is with the theme: ‘Renewed Hope Agenda, Promoting Women Economic Empowerment, Health, Education and Justice for Global Competitiveness and Relevance.’
According to her, “This is to go ahead and involve ourselves in women empowerment and gender-equality programs. Some of the memos that will be looking at today have to do with women equality.”
The director further explained that, one of the things they are going to consider during the meeting include: “Nigerian women need a voice, Nigerian women need to be put on a decision-making table and need to be put where it matters most” so that Nigeria does not stand on one leg but on two legs, and women are carried along.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Kano State Ministry of Women Affairs Children and Disable, Dr. Sa’adatu Saidu Bala, said “This is a Council where we discussed so many issues on women in gaps, women in participation, women empowerment.
“A woman you are empowering, you are empowering the whole family; that is why, if you actually want to do empowerment, you better empower the women; because, if you a empowered a man, it must be a problem, because he may even go and get another wife instead of taking care of the woman at home.
“Also, the issue of gender gap, women don’t have much opportunities in participating in politics, in businesses, in agric. You know, a woman has the potential to do anything as far as the child has been given, as far as she is empowered to do so.
“So, this meeting is very welcome. We are going out with better skills and knowledge on how we can empower women; because that is one of the major issues we are going to discuss here,” she noted.
According to her, they are going to discuss women economic empowerment, which has already the policy. The policy document is already at the national level and supported by development partners.
“So, we are going to be better knowledgeably equipped about how we are going to empower women, how women are going to be participating in all sectors of life,” she stated.
In her own words, the Commissioner for Plateau State Ministry of Women Affairs, Caroline Panglang Dafur, expressed happiness for hosting the National Council meeting, saying that it’s going to make people know that Plateau State is really the Home of Peace and Tourism.
According to her, the narrative out there is that, ‘Plateau is always known for crisis.’ But stressed that, “This will change narrative of everybody that has come for the council meeting to Jos.”
The National Council of Social Development is an annual event that brings together all Commissioners, Permanent Secretaries, and Directors together, from 36 States of the federation, including Abuja.