Renowned educationist and the Executive Director of Charity and Development Initiative (CDI), Dame Tito Omowunmi Obaigbo has called for more involvement of women in the nation’s leadership process to enable them play credible roles in the development agenda.
Dame Obaigbo, a former banker urged governments at all levels to evolve policies intended at deliberately promoting the inclusion of women in the nation’s governance process in view of the capabilities of the female gender.
In a statement issued by the CDI in commemorating this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD), Obaigbo urged the National Assembly to rethink its rejection of the various pro-female gender Bills submitted to both chambers of the legislative house.
She noted that the Bills, recently rejected by National Assembly, a decision that attracted protests from various women groups, were intended to address past injustice against the female gender in the country and promote good governance.
“From all over the world, it has been established that women are not only moulders of nations but they are the best managers of human and material resources and therefore, all forms of discrimination against them must be eradicated through laws.
“As a matter of fact, any nation still discriminating against women is doomed and Nigeria as a developing nation cannot afford to be in the category of such nation.
“The task of nation building must not be left in the hands of men alone, women must be given a prime place to enable them contribute meaningfully to the growth of the Nigerian nation.
Dame Obaigbo explained that CDI as a non-governmental and non-profit organisation, is committed to empowering women and youths through social and developmental initiatives.
“CDI has played active roles in the advocacy of gender equality with its’ Executive Director delivering several speeches at different public lectures to this effect , one of which was a speech delivered at a public lecture on the eradication of gender based violence under the auspices of the United Nations Information Centre in 2017 .
“The CDI has also played major roles in the area of empowerment of women, and has hosted several public lectures centred on women empowerment.
“The CDI has empowered women and youth by providing sewing machines and grinding machines to over 100 women, and has also awarded scholarships to orphaned children,” she said.
Obaigbo added that her group has also played active roles in counselling and sponsoring of prostitutes through vocational skills.
“The CDI has also empowered the wives of policemen who died on active duty. They were provided with grinding machines, start up capital and scholarships for their children during one of their public lectures held in Abuja,” Obaigbo said.
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