Minister Vows To Address Unemployment Among Women, Youths

Minister of Women Affairs, Hon. Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has assured that the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu would ensure more jobs for women and youths by reviewing many of its existing economic empowerment initiatives and enacting new ones to enhance women economic empowerment for self-reliance.

She disclosed this on Thursday in Jos, Plateau State, at the 24th regular National Council on Women Affairs with the theme: ‘Renewed Hope Agenda: Promoting Women Economic Empowerment, Health, Education, and Justice for Global Competitiveness and Relevance’.

The well-attended event had Commissioners of Women Affairs from the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), development partners, and non-governmental organisations (NGO), among others.

Underscoring the importance of economic empowerments, Minister Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim stated that experience has shown that all interventions committed to economic recovery programmes must factor in the gender gaps in the designing and implementation processes.

She added that, that is why the National Gender Policy was reviewed to align with the current realities and the capacities of the States were being developed to enhance holistic implementation of the policy at the national and sub-national levels.

Reeling out what the ministry has achieved, she noted that the proactiveness of the ministry and supports from all stakeholders has placed Nigeria on the global map in harvesting Best Practices around issues of Gender-Based Violence as was spotlighted at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September, 2020.

Continuing, she said: “This has made Government at all levels to respond positively not only to eliminate harmful practices against women and girls; but also, to curb the rampaging impact of SGBV.

“I am pleased to note that remarkable progress has been made in the availability of GBV Data in the country with the support of UNDP under the spotlight initiative,” the newly appointed Minister of Women Affairs stated.

Sulaiman-Ibrahim also encouraged the women to continue to stand strong, and draw strength from the shared goal of advancing the Renewed Hope Agenda, adding that as a nation, “we must move beyond ethnic and regional divides to build a Nigeria that prioritises equity, opportunity, and prosperity for every citizen.”

On his part, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Ambassador Gabriel Aduda, stated that all the Memoranda submitted by the Federal and State Ministries as well as other Ministries, Departments and Agencies, whose mandate impact the sector, were considered. He thanked and appreciated staff who have been working tirelessly to produce the memoranda that would form an action plan going forward.

The event climaxed with commendation awards given to the governor of Plateau State, Barrister Caleb Mutfwang, as a ‘He For She Governor’, who is advancing the interest of women in the state, and other commissioners and stakeholders supporting the ministry.