A gender-focused NGO, the Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF) has called on President Bola Tinubu to meet the 35% of gender inclusion in the appointment of ministers.
The call is contained in a statement issued by Chief Executive Officer of NWTF, Mrs Mufuliat Fijabi, in Abuja. Fijabi said that the recent announcement of the 47 ministerial nominees list by Tinubu fell short of the minimum standard for women inclusion.
“Following the earlier presentation of 28 ministerial nominees list to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, we commended President Tinubu for achieving 25%.
“But it is surprising that only nine out of the eventual 47 nominees are women, making it just 19% representation.
“It is critical for this government to uphold its commitment towards gender equality and leverage the untapped potential of women in driving sustainable development and social progress of Nigeria.
“To this end, NWTF encourages President Bola Tinubu to implement affirmative action policies geared towards promoting equal opportunities for women in all political appointments and decision-making.
“This will empower women, ensure their full and effective participation in all spheres of life, towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG),” she said.
She said that the group would continue to advocate for equal representation and opportunities for women in all sectors, including government and leadership roles as a matter of urgency.
Fijabi said that the demand for true representation of women and the implementation of the 35 per cent affirmative action was backed by the court judgement of April 6, 2022 upholding the National Gender Policy.
According to her, achieving gender parity is not only a matter of fairness but also necessary for effective governance.
“We will continue to engage with various stakeholders to promote inclusive governance and advocate for equitable representation at all levels,” she said.
✍️ Pulse.ng