(http://fmi.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Hajia-Zainab-Maina2-300x224.jpg) The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Zainab Maina has identified selfless commitment to the affirmative action on addressing issues on women, children, persons with disabilities, the elderly and vulnerable Nigerians as being responsible for her achievements in the past two years.
She made this remark at the 2013 Ministerial Platform held on June 25, 2013 at the National Press Centre, Radio House, Abuja.
The Women Affairs Minister told her audience that 13 female Ministers, 16 female judges of the Federal High Court and 6 female Judges of the National Industrial Court have been appointed in MDAs of the Federal Government.
Maina said that in her efforts to ensure the implementation of policies and programmes on the welfare and development of women, children, persons with disabilities and the elderly, by all tiers of government and other stakeholders in regional and global community, she adopted advocacy as a strategic tool. "We have paid particular attention to the need for State governments to introduce appropriate reforms and policies towards the reduction of maternal and child mortality; increased budgetary allocation to female reproductive health, women empowerment, child development, the welfare of persons with disabilities and the elderly.
We also visited and distributed aids, appliances and relief materials to women and children hospitals, children homes, old people's homes and persons with disabilities", she said.
On the empowering women, the Minister said that activities to boost entrepreneurial skills for rural women were stepped up by her Ministry. The Minister revealed her aim of doing this: To reduce unemployment and associated social vices in the society, increase income generation through job creation for women and assist in reducing youth restiveness at the grassroots. These, she said, were enhanced through the Business Development Fund (BUDFOW) and the Women Fund for Economic Empowerment (WOFEE).
The Minister further disclosed that six cottage industries were developed to support women in the processing of farm produce; adding that an inter-ministerial committee on women in agribusiness was instituted in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. "The Ministry", she said, "is currently reviewing the National Gender Policy (2006) and its Strategic Implementation Framework and Plan (2008) to tackle cases of gender, global issues and participation. We have continued to strengthen our women political mobilization structures to ensure greater increase in the number of women in elective positions as well as combat all forms of violence against women and girls in Nigeria"; Maina stressed.
Other areas of accomplishments highlighted were Nigeria's participation in the United Nations Development Programme on Gender Issues; constitutional review and signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with South Africa on Bilateral Cooperation on Women Development, Child Welfare and Support for Persons with Disabilities.
The Minister also disclosed that "Nigeria and South Africa will work to address the issues of women political and economic empowerment, women in agriculture, tourism, oil and gas, health, rural development and education, trade and investment. Bilateral relationships have been engaged with Gambia and Niger on women empowerment and child development, protection and support; including exchange programmes on women economic development, child rape, trafficking, child labour, girl-child education and care for persons with disabilities."
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