The President and Founder of Aspire Women Forum (AWF), Dr. Zainab Marwa-Abubakar, has advocated for community-driven collaborations with policy makers on issues of gender, saying findings has clearly shown that 71.5 per cent of Nigerian women live below poverty line.
Dr. Marwa-Abubakar stated this as the Guest Lecturer at the 9th Distinguished Public Lecture series of the Federal University Lokoja (FUL) held at the Felele Campus of the institution on Wednesday in Lokoja, Kogi state
The Guest Lecturer, in her lecture titled “Addressing the Intersectionality of Poverty and Gender in North-Central Nigeria” organized by the university in collaboration with the Institute for Gender Studies (IGS) also revealed that
53 per cent of women in the country have no access to education while 43 per cent drop-out of school and only 34 per cent are gainfully employed.
According to her, the Institute of Gender Studies (IGS) was out to build stronger and more resilient communities to address issues of intersectionality between gender and poverty.
She assured that the institute would promote gender equality, social justice and human rights, thorough education, health and well-being as well as encouraging political participation, social protection and justice.
The Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman (SAN) in his speech at the occasion , described poverty as a persistent challenge in Nigeria, lamenting that poverty is more pronounced in certain regions, including North-Central Nigeria.
Represented by the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University Lokoja, Professor Olayemi Akinwumi, said that the theme of the lecture addressed an issue that is both important and germane to the socio-economic growth of the North-Central region and the country at large.
“As minister of education, I am particularly pleased with the choice of today’s theme because it aligns with the Federal Government’s commitment to gender equality and poverty alleviation.
“The Federal Government, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is deeply committed to tackling these challenges because addressing these interconnected issues is crucial if we are to realize the full potential of our people and our nation”, the minister stated.
The Vice Chancellor of the university Professor Olayemi Akinwumi in his opening speech, said that the Distinguished Public Lecture series was established as a platform to bring together scholars, policymakers, and the public to deliberate on key issues of national and global importance.
“Research has shown that gender inequality worsens poverty, and poverty in turn reinforces gender disparity.
“Understanding this complex intersection and addressing it from a holistic perspective is essential if we are to make meaningful progress in reducing poverty and achieving gender equity”, the VC said.
