Women’s advancement through state partnership
According to the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development , Hajiya Zainab Maina, during her advocacy visit to Kaduna state on Monday, advancing the cause of women, children and the socially disadvantaged will go a long way towards ensuring the attainment of our national goals, “Indeed, no society can advance without the active contribution […]
According to the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development , Hajiya Zainab Maina, during her advocacy visit to Kaduna state on Monday, advancing the cause of women, children and the socially disadvantaged will go a long way towards ensuring the attainment of our national goals, “Indeed, no society can advance without the active contribution of its womenfolk and no nation can become great unless it develops its children both male and female who are the leaders of tomorrow.
“We will greatly limit our chances of achieving desirable growth and development and indeed the MDGs by 2015 if we do not make conscious and sustained efforts to tackle gender question and problems besetting the vulnerable members of our society. Tackling these problems will ensure a sustainable human development, material prosperity, peace and social progress for all,” she said.
She told Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero when she visited the Kashim Ibrahim House, that issues concerning women and other vulnerable groups are listed on the concurrent list of the Nigerian Constitution, which underscores the importance of State Governments’ support for the actualization of the Ministry’s mandate concerning them, saying the visit is to stimulate partnership or collaboration between and the ministry and the state in the provision of better services and enabling environment for the survival, proper development, protection and participation of women, children and other vulnerable groups in the state.
Maina said the priority areas which require the urgent attention of all are; Women economic empowerment, women’s increased participation in politics and decision-making positions, improved maternal and child health, girl-child education and women non-formal education, implementation and review of the National Gender Policy and its Strategic Framework and Plan, and implementation and domestication of UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) provisions.
Others are: Implementation of the Child Rights Act, care and development of Orphans and vulnerable Children, integration of the elderly and Persons with Disabilities and increased budgetary allocation for issues relating to women, children and the other socially disadvantaged groups.
She urged the governor to increase the budgetary allocation to his state’s Ministry of Women Affairs to enable it carry out its mandate effectively saying ministries of women affairs always have the lowest budget allocations and this is making a lot of them to suffer.
Kaduna State is one of the 13 states in the Federation that are yet to pass the Bill for the domestication of the Child Rights’ Act in Nigeria. The Minister said by the passage of the law and its subsequent implementation, the state government would guarantee the rights of children, restore their confidence and self esteem and ultimately improve their status, adding, it will also enable children, including children with special needs, to enjoy their rights to survival, development, protection and participation.
She said: “The inclusion of the provisions prohibiting early marriage in the Act was informed by the high linkage between early marriage/teenage pregnancy and high incidence of Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) and Recto Vaginal Fistula (RVF) among other things. We all know the anguish and stigma these victims go through and collectively, we must help not only to alleviate their sufferings but also tackle the root causes.
“Another reason why the Child Rights’ Act prohibits early marriage is because such marriage disrupts the education of the girl- child. We are all aware that Islam attaches great importance to the education of women and recognises its multiplier effects. It is therefore necessary to do all we can to facilitate and promote the education of all, and particularly that of the Girl Child who is the woman of tomorrow and a strong pillar in the family.”
She called on the governor to facilitate the enrolment of more girls in school, reduce the number of almajiri, and improve the wellbeing of persons with disabilities. She enjoined him to increase the number of women in appointive and elective positions in the state to 30%, and support the enactment of appropriate legislation that will strengthen the health system in the state, increase women’s access to skilled birth attendants, ante-natal and post-natal care, in addition to passing laws for a complete free medical care for pregnant women and children under five to reduce the high maternal and child deaths in the state.
Responding, Governor Ramalan Yero assured the minister of the state’s commitment towards women’s development and promised to collaborate with the state’s women ministry to achieve that.
While enumerating the state’s achievements, the governor said the state intends to empower 50 women in each local government through the SURE-P Programme.
He said some issues in the Child Rights Act stopped its passage years before but promised to sit together with the House of Assembly, women affairs ministry and other stakeholders to pass it into law taking cognizance of the peculiarities of the people of the state and what they want.
The minister also visited the State House of Assembly and called for the domestication and Implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) , even if it means coming up with the best options on how to achieve similar objectives of our laws without offending our various national socio-cultural and religious interest, passage of the Child Rights, Act, and ensure increased budgetary allocation to the State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development .
She called on the members to enact appropriate legislation and policies against harmful traditional practices, and violence against women.
“I am aware that Female Genital Mutilation, early and forced marriages are being practiced in some states. These practices not only violate the rights of women and girls, they are abhorrent, unhealthy, dehumanizing and inimical to the wellbeing and development of women and girls,” she said.
Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Muazu Gangara, said the members will look at the Child Rights act seriously and pass it with consideration to the yearning and desire of the people of Kaduna State.
Gangara, who was represented by the Deputy Speaker, Mato Dary Dogara said the state House of Assembly is ever ready to partner with the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development and pass relevant laws that will better the life of women and other vulnerable groups in the state.
The minister thereafter visited , the Emir of Zazzau Alhaji (Dr) Shehu Idris, to solicit for his support in promoting the case of women and other vulnerable groups in the country. She appealed to him as the authority closest to the people, to lend his royal hands in sensitizing, educating and mobilizing them on the issues she is advocating for. The emir assured her of his support saying he will bring up the issues raised for deliberation in the Traditional Council when they meet next.
Maina also visited Beth Torrey School and the State’s Ministry’s orphanage home where she interacted with the inmates and donated items. She also gave gifts to women at the Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial Hospital.
On Tuesday, the minister visited the famous girls college, Queen Amina College Kaduna where she emphasized the importance of girl child development and urged the students to take their studies seriously, obey their parents and all constituted authorities and aspire for all career types. She said they should consider themselves lucky to be in school as millions of their counterparts lack the opportunity or are out there on the streets and in the markets – hawking food and various wares.