The United Nations Development Programme, UNDP says it is set to partner with State Commissioners for Women Affairs in Nigeria, to promote capacity building and sustainable economic empowerment for women.
The UNDP Resident Representative, Ms. Elsie Attafuah announced this at a high-level dialogue on advancing programmes for women and girls in Nigeria, held in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
According to Ms Attafuah, the partnership aims to address issues affecting women in their respective states, particularly in the areas of education, health, and economic empowerment.
She said; “It will take women to push the course of development in Africa. It is possible. This continent has everything it takes to prosper and more so a country like Nigeria yet our people still wallow in poverty. We must establish how we can turn things around.”
“As UNDP and by extension the United Nations family, we are doing a lot in the area of gender equality, women empowerment, and so on. All we are doing is to put our efforts together with you under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu and in the spirit of the Renewed Hope Agenda,” Ms Attafuah said.
The Dean of Commissioners for Women Affairs, Mrs. Ini Adiakpan, stressed the need for a coordinated effort to address the challenges faced by women in the country.
“In a world of crisis, we trust the resilience of women and it is their resilience hat has moved the continent forward. Women have the innate strength to survive amidst difficulties. We need funding support for income-generating activities, vocational training, and initiatives that will enhance women’s financial independence,” Mrs Adiakpan who is also the Women Affairs in Akwa Ibom state said.
She solicited the support of the UNDP and other UN agencies to foster collaboration towards achieving social interventions and capacity building for women.
Mrs Adiakpan emphasised the importance of empowering women, saying it will lead to the overall development of society.
She urged women in their states to take advantage of the opportunities that would be provided by the partnership for their personal and professional growth.
During the dialogue, participants who comprised commissioners of women affairs from different states of the country and representatives of other UN agencies, discussed the importance of improving access to healthcare services for women and girls, providing support for victims of abuse and the need to reduce maternal mortality rates and ensure that women have access to family planning services among others.
They expressed their determination to work towards creating an environment that would enable women in Nigeria to thrive and achieve their full potential.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
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