Wike’s wife calls for proactive measures on Nigeria Planet 50-50

Wife of Rivers State Governor, Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike has called for proactive measures that will empower women so that they can effectively contribute their quota to help Nigeria attain Planet 50-50 by 2030.

In a lead presentation at the ongoing United Nations 61st Session of the Commission on the Status of Women in New York, Justice Nyesom-Wike said: “Better policies will improve the output of the women in the coal face of work and lead to development and stability of the nation. Proactive measures to empower women will help Nigeria achieve planet 50-50 in 2030. 

The Rivers governor’s wife said Nigeria must change the current status quo in relation to the inclusion of women in the workforce, if it plans to make progress.

She noted that the informal sector where most women play critical roles account for 34 percent of the country’s gross domestic product, saying organising and recognising the informal sector will contribute immensely to economic development.

In her paper entitled: “Women’s Economic Empowerment in the changing world of work at the Coalface of Economic,” Mrs Wike said: “Nigeria has put in place the necessary mechanisms required for the elimination of gender discrimination to ensure gender parity and human dignity.

“The policy is also aligned with the relevant international, regional and national protocols and commitments to enhance women’s development, empowerment as well as gender equity and equality in Nigeria.”
She pointed out that Nigeria has domesticated several international protocols and laws promoting women equality and empowerment, but pointed out that the Gender Equality Law is facing the challenge of non-passage at the National Assembly.
She decried the non-recognition of the major contributions of women in the development process.

The wife of the governor further called for concrete steps for the attainment of gender equality, access to credit facilities for women, recognition of the informal sector and reconciliation of paid work with family/care responsibilities for both women and men.
She said: “Ending inequality and achieving gender parity is an empowerment issue. Deliberate efforts by relevant government agencies, UN agencies and non-governmental agencies to push for legal frame works that will protect women in the Coalface of work is most welcome at this time of serious economic recession.”