The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Designate Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), Dr Tayo Aduloju has explained that the Gender and Inclusion Summit 2023 will generate quality proposals and recommendations that will go into the youth development policy review.
Aduloju in an interview during the just concluded two-day 2023 Gender and Inclusion Summit organised by Policy Innovation Center (PIC) explained that the summit is based on looking at the evidence because there is need transform Nigeria by transforming Nigerian youths and women because of the size.
The theme of the summit is “Building Bridges: Advancing Gender and Inclusion through the Intersection of Trade and Health”.
The PIC is an initiative of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG).
He said Nigeria is more focused on female than male and the sessions on the summit will bridge the gap, pick sources and reflections that can cause rapid transformation in the health and trade .
“So, we wanted to bridge that gap between that understanding of trade, of being able to participate in economic activities and ensure that we have a healthy productive country,” he said.
Also, the Chairman, Board of Policy Innovation Center (PIC), Mr Udeme Ufot, said Nigeria has the one of the largest population of youth in the world with about 70 per cent of it under 35 years of age.
“The median age of youth in Nigeria is 18.1 years and 42 per cent are under the age of 15 adding that the size and youthfulness of the Nigerian population offers great potential for innovation, technological advancement and economic development.
“For this potential to be harnessed, strategic investments in health, education, infrastructural development and job creation is critical while leveraging technology to deliver sustainable development at scale.”
He also said that the nation has a collective responsibility to develop inclusive approaches to address barriers to quality education, job and internship opportunities and access to health services for Nigeria’s burgeoning youth population.
Speaking about the theme of the summit, the Executive Director of PIC, Dr Osasuyi Dirisu, said it was aimed at bridging the gaps within productivity, but also in wellbeing.
She said that the organisation recognises that it is impossible to be productive without health.
“We know that if for any reason, people will be included in services, there are usually people who are more privileged to have better opportunities and we wanted to use this topic to spotlight the most vulnerable.”
Dirisu said that the intention was to look at how people who normally do not have access to healthcare, services, the unemployed can begin to access them.
