Newly elected 74th President of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) Prof. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande has called for more inclusion of women in governance, stressing that women must be at the centre of all national development issues if Nigeria must achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Muhammad-Bande stated this in Abuja while touring the Nigerian Women Hall of Fame at the National Center for Women Development (NCWD) during his first official visit to Nigeria since he was elected.
Muhammad-Bande noted the clause in the SDGs which states that no one must be left behind, regretting however the level of gender-based violence and other forms of discrimination on women.
“If we must leave no one behind as the SDG theme says, then women must be at the centre of what we do. “Rape is clearly an issue, which we need to address as a taboo.”
The UNGA president, therefore reiterated the commitment of the assembly towards ending all forms of violence against women and children and promoting their rights.
In her remarks, the UN Women Country Representative to Nigeria Ms Comfort Lamptey, urged government to take more action towards resolving the plights of women and children in the country.
Lamptey also called for the need to restrategies and reconnect on ways to address the issue of gender based violence, with the view of ending it at the root.
” We must root out all forms of violence against women and children. Invest in the empowerment of women and ensure that pepetrators are brought to justice,while victims are aupported.”
Also in her remarks, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development Pauline Tallen, reemphasised the importance of launching the Sexual Offender Register, saying the data which would be made public would deter others.
In her welcome address the Director General, National Centre for Women Development (NCWD) Mary Ekpere-Eta, lauded government’s effort towards women empowerment, reiterating the commitment of the centre towards empowering women with economic skills.
