In a bid to bolster the participation of women in public institutions and decision-making positions, the First Lady of Nigeria, Oluremi Tinubu, has expressed her readiness to collaborate with the United Nations (UN).
This development comes as part of her dedicated efforts to address issues affecting women and children in the country.
During a courtesy visit to the State House in Abuja on Wednesday, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Matthias Schmale, and his team engaged in a fruitful discussion with Mrs. Tinubu.
She emphasized the critical need for women to have a more prominent presence in the nation’s economy, advocating for increased opportunities and representation for women in the legislative arm of government.
“Because if laws are not changed, this would be the same game continuously,” Remi said. However, are the women ready to sacrifice? We are the ones that need to stand up to help ourselves. Education is very vital and I don’t believe that a woman cannot get all that she wants once she is educated, but our focus on education is for all, both boys and girls and even less privileged women.”
Responding to the First Lady’s commitment, Matthias Schmale assured her of the UN’s full support in realizing her objectives in the realm of women’s and children’s welfare. He acknowledged the pivotal role women play in the Nigerian economy, particularly in areas like food security, and pledged to collaborate with Mrs. Tinubu’s office to further empower women economically.
“It is our understanding that the president has made the economy an important stone; again, we know that women play a key role in the economy considering food and security as a national emergency,” he said.
“We are ready to explore what more we can do to support the government and your excellence in increasing the role of women in the economy and revitalizing the economy.”
The discussion further delved into pressing issues affecting women and children in Nigeria, with the UN expressing its readiness to assist in addressing them. Among the concerns raised were the eradication of polio, ensuring access to education for out-of-school children, combating child labor, and curbing violence against women.
“The third issue is violence. Former President Muhammadu Buhari had, three years ago, declared violence against women and children a national emergency. Again, we are offering support to the UN family in overcoming this emergency.
“Finally, there are issues around children that we think are of particular importance, the issue of school children out of learning environment and the issue of over 15 million children under the age of 14 in child labor in Nigeria obviously need attention.”
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