Nigeria

The Country Director of the United Nations Women, Dr Grace Ongile has challenged the Nigerian government to ensure gender mainstreaming at all levels.

Doctor Ongile at a meeting in Abuja pointed out that Nigeria has one of the worst cases of gender inequality, violence against women and illiteracy.

To reduce this trend, the United Nations representative called for more synergy between international organisations, government at all levels and members of civil society organisations.

Nigeria has committed itself to accelerate the national and regional implementation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions, especially on women, peace and security, Women Affairs Minister Zainab Maina has said.

Maina disclosed this when she addressed member states during the Third Committee of the 68th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York on Friday.

"Nigeria is making progress in implementing resolution 1325 as follow-up of the regional workshop on the resolution that took place in Dakar, Senegal, in April 2013.

The First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, on Tuesday urged more Nigerian women to vie for elective positions in 2015.

Dame Jonathan said this in Owerri in a message to the inauguration of Coordinators of Women for Change and Development Initiative (W4CDI) ,  her pet project.

The First Lady was represented by Dr Rabi Ibrahim, the National Coordinator of W4CDI.

We invite you to read the full article published September 17, 2013

It was just fifteen years ago that one woman dazzled the Anambra political establishment to its foundations. Mrs. Joy Emodi, the young, beautiful and articulate lawyer who had won recognition on account of her political prowess was set to upturn the apple cart in the 1998 governorship election having become the most formidable candidate on ground.

The women are mostly non-Ogun indigenes.

A group of women in Ogun West senatorial district of Ogun State under the banner of ‘Yewa Wives in Diaspora’ said on Saturday that they would contest for key positions in the next political dispensation in the state.

The women’s position was made known at the inauguration of the association held at Iwe-Iroyin Press Centre, Abeokuta. The women argued that by virtue of marriage they were qualified for political offices at the zonal as well as state level.

Nigeria and Senegal are planning to provide women at grassroots level with leadership and advocacy skills that would enable them contribute meaningfully to the development of their countries.

To this end, a three-day capacity building workshop has been scheduled for November this year in Dakar, the Senegalese capital, to train women on strategies that would reposition them as leaders.

Also, they would evolve on participating effectively in the political and socio-economic development of their communities and the nation.

A cross section of Nigerian women on Thursday in Abuja expressed optimism that the government would ensure increased women representation in  governance.

They spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the women rally on Peace and National Development held at Eagle’s Square.

They said the present administration had shown that women are capable of meeting the aspirations of all Nigerians.

We invite you to read the full article published August 15, 2013