IWD: NAWOJ Urges North-Central Governors and FCT Minister to Prioritize Women’s Investment

By Iyojo Ameh

As Nigeria commemorates the 2024 International Women’s Day (IWD), the Vice President of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), North-Central Zone, Comrade Chizoba Ogbeche, has called upon state governors in the North-Central region and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to increase investments in women to hasten progress towards safeguarding women’s rights and achieving gender equality.

In a press release issued on Thursday in Abuja, Ogbeche emphasized that this call aligns with the United Nations’ theme for this year’s celebration: “Count Her In: Invest in Women.

Highlighting the importance of women’s economic empowerment, especially amid Nigeria’s challenging economic climate, Ogbeche asserted that prioritizing women’s needs is essential for advancing gender equity.

“There is an urgent need for the governors of the North-Central states and the FCT minister to develop sustainable social welfare programs that prioritize the needs of women, who bear the brunt of the current economic downturn in the country,” she stated.

Ogbeche emphasized the necessity of strengthening institutional frameworks and existing laws to ensure women’s access to a decent standard of living, food security, nutrition, housing, quality healthcare, and education.

She referenced a consultative meeting held by the African Union Ministers responsible for Gender and Women’s Affairs on November 14, 2023, where strategies were discussed to accelerate the achievement of gender equality and women’s empowerment by addressing poverty and bolstering institutions and financing with a gender perspective.

The meeting underscored the need for deliberate and systematic social, political, and economic policies and measures to combat poverty and inequality, involving governments and all stakeholders.

“The IWD should be a moment of collective action to effect tangible change,” Ogbeche emphasized, urging NAWOJ’s leadership in the North-Central to organize activities, including sensitization and enlightenment campaigns, to commemorate the day effectively.