Source: SpyGhana 
Nigeria needs to ensure equal participation of women in economic, social and political activities, if it is to achieve the objectives of Vision 20:2020, a United Nations official said.

The Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of UN Women, Michelle Bachelet, gave the insight when she visited the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, on Friday in Abuja.

“If you want to get to 20 in 20:20, you need to ensure 50:50 – that is equal participation of women and men. So, that explains why we believe in economic empowerment of women and gender budgeting because sometimes you have a lot of good ideas or intensions but no budget allocated.

“And usually also gender perspectives are not seen, some already believe that gender  perspective is only about giving money targeting women.”

She congratulated Okonjo-Iweala for embarking on programmes geared towards women empowerment and said she was in Nigeria to identify areas of collaboration between the UN and Nigeria and how to help to advance government’s effort in empowering women.

“Wherever you think that we could be useful, don’t hesitate, because we have made alliance with three home agencies like IFAD and others.’’ Batchelet urged the minister to ensure that women were involved in the generation of project adding that it would help them to play their role effectively.

• Nigeria