The Child is Gold Foundation (CIGF) has called on stakeholders across different sectors to invest hugely in women’s education, inclusion in policy making and economic empowerment for the development of the nation.
While speaking during a programme to commemorate this year’s International Women’s Day on Monday, themed ‘Invest in Women’, the Executive Director of the Foundation, Barr. Elizabeth George said that women have been pushed back in decision-making and policy formulation in the country, hence the need to up the game in women inclusiveness.
Represented by the Foundation’s team lead, George Ishaya Nuhu, Elizabeth said that investment in women cut across participation in politics, governance, leadership, household health and social spheres. “We want women to be given more roles in social space and the best we can do is to invest in them.
She said that the Foundation is keen about five pillars of the UN resolution 1325: participation, prevention, protection, relief and recovery. “We have brought major stakeholders together in this event; they are traditional and religious leaders, security agencies, youth groups and other relevant groups.”
Also, the Project Coordinator, Women4Women International and the Foundation, Kuulwaamsu Yohanna, said that it was observed that the society is more patriarchal and women are not been heard and “even own property, but with the involvement of the project, women now have access to property, ownership and control.
“Many of them are now part of family and state policy formulation and participation.”
He said that the conflict and safety fund had also contributed to the improvement being recorded.
Stakeholders from the Nigerian Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) and community leaders were drawn from different parts of the state.