Foundation demands increased participation of women in governance

An NGO, Our Beloved Girl-Child Global Foundation, has called for greater participation of women in elective positions to ensure gender mainstreaming for sustainable development of Nigerian women.

The President and Founder of the foundation, Dr Lilian Obenwa, made the call in an interview with the our reporter in Abuja on Friday, to commemorate the International Day of Rural Women.

It was reported that the International Day of Rural Women is celebrated every Oct. 15, for the vital role rural women play in climate action with a spotlight on rural women and girls building resilience.

”Women formed greater percentage of the voting population in Nigeria, hence the need for stakeholders to involve them in decision-making bodies.

”The inclusion of of women will enable them to decide on issues affecting their lives, especially as it relates to maternal and child mortality rate as well as empowerment.

”There is also need for the government at all level to create an environment conducive for women participation in governance from the rural areas to the national level,” she said.

Rural women, she said, represent the backbone of many communities, but they continue to face obstacles that prevent them from realising their potentials and the impacts of climate change add to their hardship.

“Women account for a substantial proportion of the agricultural labour force and perform the bulk of unpaid care and domestic work within families and households in rural areas.

“They make significant contributions to agricultural production, food security and nutrition, land and natural resource management, and building climate resilience.

“The impacts of climate change, including access to productive and natural resources, amplify existing gender inequalities in rural areas,” she said.

According to her, women and girls, should have a major role to play in governance to restore their pride and dignity and encourage societal norms and values for nation building and development.

She added that the foundation had been empowering and promoting female education and providing educational support to young people through its female students scholarship scheme and skills campaigns.

The founder noted that “when one girl is educated, a whole community is strengthened, because educated girls delay marriage, have fewer children, earn a higher income and contribute to the community.

“Achieving gender equality, is not only vital to ensuring rural women have equal access to resources, food and public services, but an important aspect of the global efforts to avoid and limit the worst effects of the climate crisis,” she said.