…urges all citizens to embrace equity
By Chimezie Godfrey
The Initiative for Research, Innovation and Advocacy in Development (IRIAD) and The Electoral HUB has called on the government and relevant stakeholders to create a conducive environment that protects the rights of women and girls.
The Director, IRIAD-The Electoral Hub, Princess Hamman-Obels in commemoration of the 2023 International Women’s Day (IWD) joined millions around the world to call for gender parity.
Hamman-Obels urged citizens to embrace equity, adding that it would bring about national integration and development,
She said,”On this special day, the Initiative for Research, Innovation and Advocacy in Development (IRIAD) and The Electoral Hub join millions around the world to commemorate the 2023 International Women’s Day – IWD.
“Many nations around the world observe International Women’s Day. It is a day on which women are celebrated for their accomplishments regardless of national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic, or political boundaries. The day serves as a reminder to gear up efforts towards gender parity.
“The International Women’s Day is one of the important days to celebrate women’s achievements, educate and raise awareness for women’s equality, call for advancing women, and encourage the quickening of gender parity.
“In line with IRIAD and THE ELECTORAL HUB’s commitments to promoting gender equity and inclusion we celebrate and commend the diligence, courage, and performance of women candidates in the just concluded Presidential, Senatorial and House of Representative elections.
“We are particular about celebrating women’s achievements. We also encourage women candidate running for the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections to remain steadfast and committed in the race. We look forward to celebrating Senator Aisha Binani and Comrade Beatrice Itubo as governors-elect of Adamawa and Rivers States respectively.
“Going forward, we would like to see that the next administration implements the 35% affirmative action in its appointment process to promote gender equity and inclusion in the governance.
“Furthermore, we expect that actions and decisions taken by the government, take into cognizance gender dimension so as to protect the rights of women and girls.
“Finally, we call on the government and relevant stakeholders to create a conducive environment that protects the rights of women and girls in all their diversities in digital spaces and to combat the anti-rights and anti-gender narratives. We, therefore, urge citizens of our country to embrace equity as it would bring about national integration and development,” she said.
Hamman-Obels urged the next administration to implement the 35% affirmative action in its appointment process to promote gender equity and inclusion in the governance.
She noted that this year’s theme “DigitAll: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality”, “Embrace Equity” seeks to honor and celebrate the women and girls who are leading the way in advancing digital education and transformational technology.
According to her, the theme is also in line with the key theme for the Commission on the Status of Women’s 2023, 67th Session (CSW-67), “Innovation and Technological Transformation, and Education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls”.
