AFRICAN GOVTS URGED TO IMPROVE WOMEN’S LOTS

African governments, gender-based non-governmental organizations and women societies have been enjoined to improve the lots of women in the continent by addressing the poor women educational background.

In her key note address titled ‘repositioning to ensure women’s equal access to and full participation in power structure and police making’ at the 2013 Women Advancement Forum in South Africa, the chairman House Committee on Aviation, Hon Nkiruka Onyejeocha said women in Africa were educationally disadvantaged as a societal and policy challenge that required urgent attention.

According to Hon Onyejeocha, any move to address the total lack or low level of education among African women will be a step in the right direction and will tremendously boost the chances of women to fully participate in policy making, business and economy. 

She noted that women contributed immensely to national development in the areas of politics and economy. 

“ In Asia, women are the economy driving force. Their contribution in providing job openings in business sectors continues to rise. They are involved in enterprises at all levels as managers, entrepreneurs, owners and investors. Available statistics indicate that women dominate the service sector in this region. In Singapore and Taiwan women dominate about 61% of the GNP of said countries. The amount of Asian women employment evidently in quantitative terms has been similar with European countries”.

This Hon Onyenjeocha maintained, has resulted in growth within the service sector in Asia culminating into a large working opportunity for women adding, that it was possible because of the high level of awareness created among women in these areas through mass and qualitative education.

 According to the Legislator, the feat can be replicated in Africa by both government and non-government organizations, civil society groups and gender-based organizations through the following ways through public policy in which national governments in Africa should boost women’s access to education through the introduction of mass and compulsory education targeted at the women and initiation of adult literacy programmes to reach those women that have passed the age of basic education.

Hon Onyenjeocha noted that military government in Nigeria encouraged women through various programmes. “In Nigeria for instance, both in the military and democratic era, efforts have been geared towards women empowerment. The military regimes of Generals Ibrahim Babangida and Sanni Abach saw for the first time the pursuit of poverty alleviation programmes from gender-based perspectives with the formation of Better Life Programme for Women and the Family Advancement Programme of the Babangida and Abacha regimes respectively”

She declared that since the country returned to democratic governance in 1999, successive regimes in Nigeria have ensured compliance with the requirements of the 35 per cent affirmative action aimed at aimed at ensuring that women were given at least 35 per cent representation in national power structure and policy making institutions.