Education
Source: All Africa
The President, Voice of Women in Nigeria Leadership Initiative, an NGO, Hajiya Halima Tijjani, has called on women to encourage girl-child education to bridge discrimination against women.
Halima made the call on Saturday in Abuja at the inauguration of the NGO.
She said that the establishment of the NGO signified that Nigerian women were determined to unite under one umbrella to speak with one voice.
Halima said that promoting girl-child education would enable women to take their rightful position in the scheme of things and would reduce poverty as well as bring about national development.
"This is not a revolution against our husbands and fathers, but an encouragement and support in line with the Holy Books which state that women are created to be helpers to their men.
"The time has come for us to rule openly, but together with and not against our men," she said.
Halima noted that this was in line with Beijing Declaration of September 1995 where women were expected to have equal opportunities with their male counterparts.
The president said Beijing conference had inspired to keep women on the same page with their men counterparts world over.
She said that the mission of the NGO was to support women in Nigeria by educating and unleashing their leadership potential to transform lives and national development.
Others she added were; equipping women with leadership skills, to curb the effects of gender discrimination in the society.
Halima added that the NGO was aimed at propagating good governance and re-orientate women on the need to be transparent and accountable.
Also speaking at the occasion, Mr Dennis Aghanya, the Executive Secretary, Anti-Corruption and Research Based Data Initiative, an NGO, said that women had so much to contribute to better the society, if given chance.
He, however, expressed worry that some obstacles began to constitute impediment to this great expectation demanded of women.
He attributed religious barriers and cultural norms/value system in Africa as major challenges facing women to excel.
"Women are denied certain privileges under the guise of such values," he said.
He said that it was the women that had been marginalising themselves and not men, as they preferred to vote for a fellow man because of jealous among them.
"As long as this trend continues, the men will keep taking advantage of the situation.
"Marginalisation is a relative term; it should be the more reason why women should work harder, rather than the unnecessary lamentation. (NAN)