Female stakeholders across the 13 local government areas of Nasarawa State are currently working on a policy framework aimed at addressing gender disparity in the state.
The framework is expected to transform into a potent gender policy with legal backing for its implementation and enforcement to ensure that the girl-child and women are adequately protected in the state.
The stakeholders including the first lady of the state, Salifat Abdullahi-Sule, wives of the 13 council chairmen, elected female representatives, top female government appointees and desk officers among others expressed concern that the gap of disparity continue to widen against women and the girl-child despite efforts to bridge same.
They spoke during a roundtable discussion organised by the Nasarawa State Human Capital Development Agency in Lafia.
Speaking at the meeting, the director general and focal person of the agency, Habiba Balarabe-Suleiman, expressed optimism that the issue of gender inequality in the state would be addressed through the ongoing effort.
“We seek to achieve a policy that is implementable, and which will be generally acceptable. We want to achieve an increased number of educated girls, decreased out of school children, increased health and health security, increased level of financial inclusion and increased general participation for women and girls,” she said.
She urged the stakeholders to document the challenges bedeviling women and girls in their various communities in order to galvanise support for them in the areas of healthcare and education.
She commended the Africa Human Capital Development plus for funding the project, while assuring that the outcome would transform into a transformative policy that will serve as a blueprint for addressing the gender disparities within critical areas of the state.
