By Femi Oyelola, Kaduna
As the World marks the 2023 World Population Day (WPD) Kaduna State Government has promised to continue its Gender and Social Inclusion policy that will protect women and girls in the state.
The Director General of Kaduna State Contributory Health Management Authority, (KADCHMA) Mallam Abubakar Hassan asserted this during a media interactions to mark the WPD celebration organised by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Kaduna state yesterday.
According to him the last Administration of Mallam
Nasiru El-Rufa’i’ introduces Gender Policies to protect the rights of women in the state., which he is sure the current government in the state will sustain.
He assured that the Senator Uba Sani ‘administration would ensure that women and girls were protected through social inclusion at all levels of governance.
Speaking on the WPD Mallam Hassan said annually, UNFPA commemorates WPD with Governments, Civil Society, NGOs and Youth groups to bring attention to pertinent issues faced by people in the world.
Mallam Hassan stressed that the 2023 World Population Day under the theme: “Unleashing the power of gender equality to spur national development”will be used to highlight the need to advance gender equality to help realise the dreams of all people of Kaduna State.
Giving credence to this Director of Public health in the Ministry of Health Dr Aishatu Abubakar Sadiq said Women health and empowerment is a premium concern of Kaduna State government as demonstrated in
the large number of women in its governance and decision-making
structures and institutions.
She disclosed that this has been demonstrated in the maternal and Child Heath care programs of the government carried out in all the health facility in the state.
In her own remarks Mrs. Hadiza Aliyu said many still think women and children are subjects of the male and as such should be subjugated under the influence of the male counterparts.
“Some women in the society have also been wired to think that way and it is difficult for them to see the reason to fight for equity or equality when it comes to their relationship with men and this is causing a lot of problems.”
She added that “because women don’t understand their position, it is difficult for them to bring their children up thinking in a liberal way. As such, the stigma, suppression and oppression continue to be passed to them from the psyche of the mother.”
“We now have so many young girls being raped by elderly men who sometimes are their relatives across the country. Most of these problems take place in the hinterlands among poor families who are voiceless, don’t know the law and afraid to speak out because of the stigma,” Adamu noted.
Speaking earlier, the Sexual, and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) Analyst UNFPA Dr. Baba Modu Mari says his organization is the UN Sexual and Reproductive Health agency, working to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.
According to him World Population Day is observed globally to draw the attention of the public towards the importance of population issues and need to curb overpopulation.
“On World Population Day, we recognize that this mission is closely interrelated with demographic trends, including population growth, ageing, migration and urbanization.”
Overpopulation remains a worry since it is linked with global warming, resource depletion, pollution, malnutrition and the possible spread of deadly disease.”
In her welcome remarks the Acting Permanent Secretary Kaduna State planning and Budget Commission, Jummai Bako observed that With education, the world can address all the challenges facing women and. Kaduna state is working in that direction.
