Nigeria will not meet SDGs without Gender Equality – UN Women

The United Nations (UN) Women has called on stakeholders in the private and public sectors to promote inclusiveness by ensuring that women have access to financial resources.

The Country Representative to UN Women and ECOWAS, Ms Beatrice Eyong said only 10 per cent of women in Nigeria had access to financial resources for entrepreneurial development and access to public procurement.

She said this at the UN Women and Partners Open Day for South West held in Lagos on Thursday.

Ms Eyong said gender equality was central to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals(SDG) and Nigeria had been lagging behind by sixty percent.

“We are championing all this because Nigeria is not going to attain the SDGs. We are at 60 per cent not been able to achieve the SDGs, of all the SDGs the central SDGs is SDG five which is gender equality.

“As long as we’re not able to accelerate gender equality we will not be able to accelerate the SDGs that’s why we’re here to recognise the fact that we cannot do this job alone.

“We recognise the fact that we cannot stay in Abuja and do the work so we’re going to the six geopolitical zones this is the third zone that we have been to.

“We started with South South, North West and here we are in South West,” she said.

Ms Eyong, said the UN Women wanted to showcase its work through the Open Day, said women needed access to information to enable them take decisions that will empower them.

“By empowering women, we empower our families, communities and nations, but let me just make a statement on which I would like to preach. One, is that the country that I talk about says we must give a space to the women.

“We know with more precision in policy formulation and implementation, we can all all ensure it is legislated into law to protect women so that they can actualise their potential,” she said.

She noted that through the various initiatives of the UN Women, it had given second chance to thousands of women who missed out on education due to early marriage, childbirth and other factors.

“In order to bridge the gap, what we do is to ensure that young girls and women that were unable to get education due to early marriage or pregnancy get an opportunity to learn a trade.

“Which helps them become independent financially, this gives them an edge to take informed decision,” she said.

Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu represented by his Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr Sam Egube said that the state government had been Intentional with giving women a voice and would continue to do so.

“In Lagos Nigeria we believe ladies first, supported by men. Because, I don’t see how any woman would make progress if it is strongly resisted by men. Neither do I see any woman that would make progress that is strongly resisted by women.

“There is nothing like being successful in a lonely place. So we must also acknowledge our male champions like our gender friendly and conscious governor, Lagos State who continue to support women and make room for more representation,” he said.

Similarly, the Lagos State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs Cecelia Bolaji-Dada said women voices needed to be heard in all decisions affecting them.

“I want to assure you that for me, my government and my domain, we are given space, I am aware that other states can do more to ensure adequate representation in leadership roles,” she said.

Ogun State commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Hadijat Adeleye charged women to learn from one another and be supportive of their work for the desired equality.

Speaking on the essence of the Open Day, the UN Women National Programme Officer, Coordination and Partnership, Ms Patience Ekeoba said the UN Women wanted to talk to political leaders and partners to influence decisions about women.