Nigeria

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the former Finance Minister of Nigeria, talked about the real needs of Africa. In her speech, Ms. Okonjo-Iweala passionately described her efforts to promote economic development in Nigeria by fighting corruption, stimulating privatization, strengthening the national banking system, and restructuring the oil sector. Ms. Okonjo-Iweala assured the audience that there were fewer wars and conflicts in Africa and more democratic developments. She posed an important question on what would help the continent to stay on this curve of positive changes.

One of the long-identified strategies for the advancement of women is increasing the number of women in politics and governance. Only a few countries such as Norway can parade a gendered legislature where 50 percent of the members are women. The Beijing Platform for Action recommends that countries that have gender imbalance in political representation should adopt an affirmative action whereby 33 percent of positions are reserved for women.
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Fresh federal appointments announced yesterday in Abuja saw President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua naming Nigeria's first ever female Head of Service of the Federation (HOSF).
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Over 40,000 girls are to be trained as motor mechanics and other skills in the next five years. This was disclosed in Lagos, Wednesday by Executive Director and founder, lady Mechanic Initiative (LMI) Mrs Sandra Aguebor, an engineer at a forum with stakeholders.
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Speaker of the Gombe state House of Assembly Hon. Manga Musa Bojude has commended women Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) in the state for their role in enlightening people on the dangers of HIV/AIDS as well as creating political awareness among women.
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As the clock starts ticking for the local government election in Enugu State, women in the area seem set to have their right of way in the grassroots administration as the Association of Nsukka Women in Diaspora (ANWD) has endorsed the aspiration of Hon. Chinwe Ugwu-Oloto for the chairmanship of Nsukka council.
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The summit, held at Obudu, Cross River, called on government, civil society groups and stakeholders to work together for enlightenment on the importance of the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
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Senator Zainab Abdulkadir Kure, represents Niger South Senatorial District of Niger state. As wife of the Niger state Governor for eight years, she supported her husband's administration. Earlier on, she was in the Niger state civil service, where she rose to the position of a permanent secretary.
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Former Chairperson, Nigerian Army Officers' Wives Association (NAOWA), and later Chairperson, Defence and Police Officers' Wives Association (DEPOWA), Mrs. Iwayemi Ogomudia, has called for greater efforts on development and empowerment of women and youths in Nigeria through capacity building, as a key step towards nation building.
To read the full article, please visit the All Africa's Website.