Source: Daily Trust
As part of activities to mark this year's International Women's Day, the United Nations Gender Theme Group yesterday launched a gender equality briefing kit (GEBK).The GEB kit is a mechanism that provides appropriate information on gender equality and women empowerment for the ultimate goal of ensuring that the populace is adequately informed on gender equality issues.

In her remarks, chair of the gender theme group and UN women representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mrs. Grace Ongile, noted the global recognition for promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women as a tool for poverty reduction, improved health, equitable economic growth and enhancement of efficiency of public service and investment.

She said: "Gender mainstreaming is much more than increasing women's participation; it involves identifying and addressing the gender perspectives in all areas of development."

Ongile affirmed that in spite of the policy and international legal provisions, the history of development policies in Nigeria demonstrates that of neglect of the gender equality variable.

She said that the kit will act as a pointer to the vast unexplored resources available to aid gender mainstreaming globally and catalyse greater results for gender responsive planning, policy development and implementation in Nigeria.

Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Zainab Maina, who was represented by a director at the ministry, acknowledged various past contributions, adding that there are still obvious gaps in the full implementation and realization of Beijing platform for action and national gender policy which is currently under review.

• Nigeria