Gender inequality: Minister bemoans social exclusion of women

By Stanley Onyekwere

Poverty, social exclusion, poor access to quality education and gender disparities have been identified as factors working against women’s leadership roles in Africa.  

FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, made this assertion at the African Women in Leadership Organisation global patrons 2022 open year ball, recently held in Abuja, shortly after she was conferred as life patron of the organisation.  

According to a statement from S.A Media to FCT Minister of State, Austine Elemue, Aliyu who served as the special guest of honour at the event, said huge investment must be committed towards education, health and economic opportunities for women and girls, in order to get more women in leadership roles.

She stressed that Africa needs women to come into leadership roles at a faster rate and higher percentages than they are today.  

She called on government at all levels to ensure that women are at the forefront of leading the economic growth Africa desires, be part of policy making and implementation, just as she tasked women organisations to work towards the agenda of gender and social inclusion policy to protect women and female children in various countries.  

According to her; “Having more women in leadership has a significant impact on the bottom line. Women are coming into leadership at a much lower rate than men.This is where we must begin to change the narratives.  

“We have to step up the rate in which women are coming into leadership roles. To achieve this goal, we have to increase the number of women in the pipeline. We need women to come into leadership roles at a faster rate and higher percentages than they are today”.  

Earlier, the Vice President of Liberia, Her Excellency, Dr. Jewel Howard-Taylor, who chaired the occasion identified women as change agents in Africa, just as she called on women to continually engage the families, communities and nations to make Africa a better place.  

She, however, commended the Liberia government for giving women the opportunities to serve in sensitive positions, while acknowledging men as important force in driving women’s agenda in the continent.