MBNCWD moves to empower Nigerian women/girls to realize full potential

By Joy Baba – Yesufu

The Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development (MBNCWD) said it is set to empower women and girls to realize their full potential to achieve their goals in life especially those who want to delve into politics.
Director General (DG) of the Centre, Dr. Asabe Vilita Bashir made this known in Abuja on Tuesday at the opening ceremony of a two-day capacity building for honourable commissioners of women affairs of 36 states and the FCT.
She said the centre also intends to strengthen institutions and systems supporting women’s empowerment, promote gender-sensitive policies and programs and engage in evidence-based decision-making by utilizing data and research to inform policy and programming.
She maintained that by investing in the development of Women Affairs Commissioners, MBNCWD aims to establish a supportive environment that empowers them to drive substantial change and advocate for gender equality and women empowerment in Nigeria.
According to the DG” despite comprising nearly half of our population, women occupy a disproportionately small percentage of leadership positions in government, business, and civil society in Nigeria.
“Through this capacity building program, our objectives include: Enhancing leadership and management competencies to enable effective team leadership, strategic decision-making, and fostering a culture of innovation and excellence.
“Strengthening the ability to influence and negotiate, ensuring the representation of women’s voices and interests; Enhancing understanding of gender mainstreaming and intersectionality to cater to the diverse experiences and needs of women and girls; and facilitating networking opportunities to connect Commissioners with peers, experts, and stakeholders, and providing access to resources, expertise, research, data, and best practices”.
In her address, the United Nations women country representative in Nigerian and ECOWAS, Ms. Beatrice Eyong said gender inequalities and risk faced by women and girls in their daily lives are challenges of global concern noting that the face poverty, exclusion, injustice and under representation is the face of women and girls globally.
Eyong, who was represented by the deputy country representative of UN women, Zephaniah Aura said these challenges are manifested in Nigeria due to cumulative decades of underinvestment in priority area for women and girls while harmful cultural practices continue to impede the accomplishment of the full potential and aspiration of women and girls in Nigeria.